The Procuress

Gerard van Honthorst’s The Procuress depicts a candlelit interior where a young woman in a low-cut blue dress sits at a table with a lute, turning toward two men who engage her in conversation. An older man on the left points toward the scene while a shadowed middle figure leans in, forming a triangular composition that centers on the illuminated face of the woman. The painting uses strong chiaroscuro and a warm, earthy palette—dark backgrounds, reds and greens, and the glow of candlelight—typical of Dutch Baroque and Honthorst’s Caravaggisti-inspired style.