17th century Utrecht School

Utrecht School of the 17th century.
"Smoker".
Oil on canvas.
Relined.
19th century stretcher frame.
Measurements: 64 x 50 cm; 79 x 66 cm (frame).

This painting retakes one of the characteristic subjects of the caravaggistas of Utrecht, whose success in the Dutch market of the XVII century was based on scenes of genre intensely illuminated and of strong dramatic presence. The young smoker, depicted half-length and with lighting that concentrates attention on the face and hands, reflects the direct influence of Hendrick Terbrugghen and his circle, the principal introducers of Caravaggio's language in the Netherlands.

The chiaroscuro, the proximity of the model and the emphasis on materiality - the skin, the folds of the shirt and the clay pipe - are features typical of this artistic environment, where scenes of smokers, musicians or gamblers acquired great popularity both for their visual appeal and for their moral reading associated with ephemeral pleasures. The subject, the composition and the treatment of light link this work to the production of the Utrecht School, one of the most valued within the Nordic caravaggism for the quality and expressiveness of its figures.