Girl at the Window

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• Niels asked

  Hi, in this article the writer suggests that the pot is hanging from the outside wall of the house. https://www.boijmans.nl/en/hidden-treasures
  But to me it seems she knocked it off the windowsill, as she rushed to look outside. What do you think?

• Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

  Hi Niels, indeed there's no visible hook, so it could be that she knocked it off the windowsill with her ellbow. But my guess would be that it's hanging. It was quite common practice to hang your chamber pot outside (up to the 20th century) and there's also a painting by Claes Hals, in which this is depicted (https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artist/nicolaes-hals/hollaendisches-bauernpaar). It was quite common practice to hang your chamber pot outside. Also, in the 17th century (and in previous centuries), there was much complaining about people emptying their chamber pots out the window. Best, Friso Lammertse, Conservator oude kunst