The Spinster
Watercolour, brush and chalk on paper, 31.2 x 25.1 cm, by Abraham Delfos (1731–1820), after Gerard ter Borch
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

A woman seated at a spinning wheel with a small dog tucked into her lap, reflecting 18th century admiration for Dutch virtues such as thrift, piety and careful household management. In the Dutch Republic, spinning was associated with virtue and discipline, and such scenes aligned with Protestant values that placed moral weight on modest conduct, productive labour and the well-run interior. Delfos made two versions of this picture.