Provenance: private collection
In the 16th century, and especially in the 17th century, Netherlandish painters specialised in a specific domain; to paraphrase Margret Klinge, David Teniers...
read moreProvenance: private collection
In the 16th century, and especially in the 17th century, Netherlandish painters specialised in a specific domain; to paraphrase Margret Klinge, David Teniers was, alongside Adriaen Brouwer, the greatest painter of the Flemish genre from the Golden Age.
Amongst the myriad of genre subjects that his skilled brushstroke allowed him to successfully embrace (a variety that contributed to the rapid development of 17th century Flemish genre painting), David Teniers adopted a new theme, only painted by Brouwer until then: smoking rooms.
Through these scenes where characters smoke and drink in a visibly relaxed atmosphere, David Teniers shows a careful observation of human behaviour and descriptions of rural life. All the aspects of our painting illustrate this perfectly. Partly a reflection of the reality of that era, these smoking scenes are not only a portrayal of social customs. Sayings from this period and legends featuring on engravings based on these paintings, often contain a warning relating to the dubious pleasure worsened by a sensation of drunkenness that is not always under control.
In the first instance, this Smoking scene is presented in a drawn out composition in which the characters can be seen individually. Close to a still life, the figures are accompanied by objects in a climate of apparent calm. By harmonising the whole with an intense lighting, Teniers introduces touches of colour here and there (red cap, blue trousers, etc.) thus giving a dynamic to the whole.
Following the example of Pieter Brueghel the Elder, whose influence is noticeable over several generations, David Teniers’ work is echoed through the centuries and across borders, even influencing French 18th century painting, especially the works of Watteau.
1610 Antwerp - Brussels 1690
David Teniers is, with Adriaen Brouwer, one the greatest Flemish genre painters of the XVII century. His village scenes were used as models for the XVII and XVIII...
read more1610 Antwerp - Brussels 1690
David Teniers is, with Adriaen Brouwer, one the greatest Flemish genre painters of the XVII century. His village scenes were used as models for the XVII and XVIII century tapestries. As the dean of the St. Luke’s Guild in Antwerp, he settled in Brussels in 1651 where Archduke Leopold William named him painter of the Court and Administrator of his collection.
His first genre scenes show the influence of Adriaen Brouwer and, at the start of his career, he painted landscapes in the style of Jan Brueghel and of Paul Bril. He later acquired a personal style mixing light shades and warm colours. His themes varied and he painted rustic scenes, paintings with magicians, witches, physicians and alchemists. These figures are sometimes replaced by monkeys or trained cats.
David Teniers also sought inspiration from religious, mythological or literary subjects : he painted allegories and contemporary events as well as portraits. As regards genre scenes, he considerably enlarged Brouwer’s repertory, with many village fairs and other popular festivals. It is in pictures such as The Peasant Feast, in the Prado of Madrid, The Drinker Sitting at a Table, in the Louvre, The Smoker in the Musée du Petit Palais, that the artist’s skill stands out.
