Dutch school; end of the 17th century.

Dutch school; late 17th century.
"Kitchen scene".
Oil on panel.
Measurements. 22 x 32 cm; 38 x 47 cm (frame).
This painting of the seventeenth century is a clear exponent of the characteristics of Dutch painting of the Golden Age, a genre dedicated to vividly represent everyday life and its pleasures. The scene takes place in a dark and intimate interior, probably the interior of a house, where a group of men and women gather around a table engaged in drinking, music and lively conversation. The composition conveys a bustling and carefree atmosphere where the characters are distributed throughout the composition, oblivious to the viewer, except for the female figure on the right that seems to directly rebuke the viewer's gaze.
This type of representation is fully inscribed in the tradition of 17th century Dutch painting, famous for its naturalism, attention to detail and predilection for profane subjects. Popular among the emerging bourgeoisie, tavern scenes not only offered an entertaining view of social life, but also contained an implicit moral reading: excess and drunkenness acted as a warning about the loss of self-control. Overall, the work reflects both the cultural prosperity of the Netherlands in this period and the interest of its artists in portraying, with keen observation, human virtues and weaknesses.