De Kaartspelers 1741 - 1820

Editor: So, here we have Abraham Delfos's "The Card Players," a watercolor print from between 1741 and 1820, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. The colors are really subdued, almost like looking at an old photograph. It's a scene of everyday life, but there is also this eerie and interesting light. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: You know, the muted palette almost feels like a whispered secret, doesn't it? It's genre painting playing it cool, holding back just enough. But there's more here than meets the eye. This slice of life seems lifted straight out of a Dutch tavern, with the card game, the nearby worker and a cozy cat adding their own narrative thread, so who is cheating? Or maybe it is only about telling a story, just by looking at what it might mean to have downtime from working hard? Editor: I hadn't thought about it as telling a story. I was just looking at how simply everyone is dressed. Is that common for Baroque or Realism artwork? Curator: It's intriguing, right? You’ve pinpointed it - how those styles blend here. It's as though Delfos is holding a mirror up to reality. He is not trying to get an idealized world, or show off great dramatic emotion. The common dress helps show their reality as everyday folks. Maybe a way to engage the average viewer with his artwork. Editor: The everyday part reminds me a little of Pieter Bruegel. Curator: Precisely! Bruegel also elevated the mundane. Now look closely. See how the scene seems lit not just from a window but internally, from within the characters? And does the shadow in the back add a touch of mystery or warning? Editor: I see what you mean! All this while they are working so hard and have to relax... I think that adds to this everyday life image. Now I need to go find other "genre-painting" works to understand how it has changed! Curator: Absolutely! Next let's look for clues of time by exploring different compositions in other artworks. What will you find?