Ironing

Ironing' is an iconic work by painter and sculptor Rik Wouters. It is an image of sunlight, warmth and brightness in the artist's home. With an intense sense of joie de vivre, Wouters succeeded here in enhancing the room around him. To him, daily life was always beautiful and pleasant. Nature was his principal source of inspiration. As an Impressionist, he considered our observation of nature to be a constant challenge. He painted, modelled and drew all aspects of life around him. The figure in the painting, Wouters' wife Nel, looks up from her ironing board unaffectedly. Beside her stands a basket with more clothes for ironing; behind her on the mantelpiece, a vase with flowers and a bell-jar, objects that capture and reflect the intense and shimmering light, with its subtle variations of soft yellow, pale pink and diluted green.