Oil on copper

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David TeniersII (1610–1690) was a Flemish Baroque painter with a remarkably versatile body of work. He was an innovator across various genres, including history painting, genre scenes, landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. His output was not only exceptionally varied but also remarkably prolific; Teniers was an extremely productive artist to whom approximately two thousand paintings are attributed today. Moreover, he headed a large studio where various assistants and pupils were active, including Gillis van Tilborgh and David Rijckaert III.

The painting depicts a tipsy man in a tavern interior, a setting that recurs frequently in the oeuvre of David Teniers II.

Although the man is quite neatly dressed, a few details betray his intoxicated state.Several buttons on his clothing are undone, and his hat is pulled low over his head. Beside him stands a small table holding smouldering ash or coals and afolded piece of paper, possibly containing tobacco. These attributes allude to two popular seventeenth-century pastimes: drinking and smoking.

The scene can also be interpreted within the tradition of allegories of the five senses, specifically as a reference to taste and smell. The raised wine glass and the smoking-related items provide clear indications of this. At the same time, the tobacco motif may serve as a reminder of the transience of earthly life and the fleeting nature of sensory pleasure.

With his direct gaze and inviting gesture, the drinker draws the viewer into the scene.The composition thus aligns closely with the tradition of Flemish tavernscenes, in which humour, everyday observation, and a subtle moralising undertone often go hand in hand.

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