The theme of clandestine goings-on in the household has particular resonance for Dutch culture because it suggests the potential breakdown of the domestic order, an issue that dominated the didactic literature so prevalent in seventeenth-century Holland. ... Like the eavesdropper pictures, the whole scene is a study in doubles. ... Whether or not this reading is satisfactory, the tableau of the present and potential disorder does strike a discordant note in the otherwise quiet scene. ...

• Word Count: 1285
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate