Michael Sweerts, 'The Schoolroom', about 1650

Sweerts was keen on depictions of Roman street life. Here we see a large, dimly lit room where a crowd of people — mostly women and children — have gathered. On the left, a young woman wearing a white turban and a blue skirt sits in a bright beam of light, focused on her embroidery. Her sewing box rests on a nearby stool. A small boy stands beside her, reading from a book. In the centre, another seamstress stands, working on her needlework. In the foreground, three children warm their hands over a small fire. On the far left, a music teacher instructs a young woman playing a keyboard, while on the far right, a girl writes in a book on her lap while a toddler watches. At the back, a tall, glowing archway opens into a courtyard with buildings. Shadowy figures move about, some children play near a fountain, and laundry hangs from the windows. This painting is believed to be the Roman Seamstress mentioned in the 1686 inventory of Joseph Deutz, an important Dutch patron of the artist, in whose extensive collection of Dutch, Flemish and Italian art it was the most expensive picture, valued at 400 guilders.

As is typical for Sweerts, this painting treats everyday activities with great respect. The people in the scene, especially the young seamstress in the white turban, have a calm and dignified presence, similar to figures in classical art. This contrasts sharply with the chaotic schoolrooms often depicted by Dutch painters such as Adriaen van Ostade or Jan Steen. The painting’s main theme appears to be education in a broad sense — the steady, patient effort required to learn a skill. This idea is reflected in the focused work of the seamstress and the practice of the musician at the far left.