"The Anaemic Lady," Samuel van Hoogstraten (1627-1678)

The Anaemic Lady (De Bleekzuchtige Dame), ca. 1667. From the Rijksmuseum website:

This painting by Samuel van Hoogstraten is known as the 'Anaemic Lady'. A pale woman is hanging passively and lethargically in her chair, with her hands together. However, it is unlikely that she is ill. A doctor dressed in a strange, old-fashioned costume, is examining her urine to see whehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifther she is pregnant. The man behind her looks with concern at the bottle. The situation is further clarified by the naked figures in the tablecloth and the painting above the door bearing an image of Venus, the goddess of love. A special role is played by the cat, often a symbol of sensuality. Like the mouse between its legs, this couple has been caught 'in the grip of lust'.

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