Figures in a tavern interior 

David Teniers the Younger, painted this tavern scene in the 17th century, when the Dutch Republic was a major hub for trade, culture, and art. These tavern scenes offer a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people. But what is it about the ordinary that gets painted, and who gets left out? While Teniers’ paintings are celebrated for their realism, we should also consider whose reality is being represented. Notice the figures engrossed in smoking, drinking, and playing games. What does it mean that the scene is populated by working class men? And what can be said about the older woman in the background, perhaps working in service? Teniers, and other artists of his time, were constructing a visual narrative of Dutch life, often celebrating its prosperity and domesticity. These paintings not only depicted daily life, but also contributed to constructing ideas about Dutch identity, and the role of different classes in society.