Barber Extracting of Tooth 1637

Adriaen van Ostade’s ‘Barber Extracting of Tooth’ is a scene rendered in oil on canvas, a common medium for 17th-century genre painting. The artwork shows a barber-surgeon at work, a scene of everyday life. The material qualities of oil paint, with its capacity for layering and blending, allowed Van Ostade to depict the textures of roughspun clothing, weathered faces, and the dimly lit interior of a humble dwelling. This wasn't high art, meant for palaces. It was meant to depict the working class, and was made with clear attention to the hard work of making a living. The artist's skilled application of paint creates a sense of depth and realism. The process of creating such a painting involved careful observation, mixing pigments, and applying them in layers to build up form and detail. This was a laborious process, reflecting the social context of a society where art was both a craft and a commodity. Looking at ‘Barber Extracting of Tooth’ through the lens of materials and making, we recognize the value of craft skill and the social significance embedded in the artistic process itself.