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Gallant Conversation (The Paternal Admonition)
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Dutch painter Gerard ter Borch painted this mysterious scene long called "The Paternal Admonition" but now understood as a gallant conversation with possibly sexual undertones. A woman in arresting white satin stands with her back to the viewer.
The painting's ambiguity has fascinated viewers for centuries. Ter Borch was famous for rendering satin and subtle social interactions. It hangs at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
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Woman Writing A Letter
Gerard ter Borch, 1665
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The Swearing of the Oath of Ratification of the Treaty of Munster
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About Gallant Conversation (The Paternal Admonition)
You can see it at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Gerard ter Borch created it. A woman in arresting white satin stands with her back to the viewer.
The scene's meaning is ambiguous, possibly depicting a brothel visit rather than paternal advice. A woman in arresting white satin stands with her back to the viewer.
Ter Borch's famous scene was long misread as a father scolding his daughter. It actually shows a gallant proposition in a bordello, with the woman's satin gown painted with extraordinary skill.
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