Kitchen Still Life with a Maid and Young Boy

As a young boy reaches out with his chubby hand to take a fistful of grapes, a maid reproaches him, placing her hand on his right shoulder. The scene takes place in an abundantly stocked pantry, where various kinds of dead fowl await preparation. The large table upon which the boy sits is laden with baskets, bowls, and platters that overflow with ripe fruit, including apples, peaches, and pomegranates. To complete this picture of domestic life, a cat stands in the window on the upper right, antagonizing two dogs below.

Pantry scenes like this were derived from earlier paintings of town markets, which were appreciated for their display of nature's bounty. This painting is a collaborative work by Frans Snyders, who specialized in still lifes and animal subjects, and Jan Boeckhorst, who painted the figures.