Interior with sewing woman, Wybrand Hendriks, c. 1800 - c. 1810 oil on panel, h 34.4cm × w 29.3cm 'Idleness is the devil's ear cushion.' This Dutch saying testifies to godliness and industriousness. So does this scene. In a sober interior, a woman is sewing a hemstitch and reading a book at the same time. On the folded back tablecloth lies a thick Statenbijbel, the official Dutch-language Bible, ready to be opened. But the little dog with the ball of wool could break her silent attention at any moment.
