Herberg met triktrakspelers 1670 - 1724

Editor: This print, "Tavern with Backgammon Players," is from somewhere between 1670 and 1724, credited to Jacob Gole, after a design by Adriaen van Ostade. It depicts a group of men playing a game, possibly backgammon, in a dimly lit room. The tone seems very... ordinary, in a way, capturing a slice of everyday life. What symbols stand out to you in this work? Curator: The most obvious is the game itself. Backgammon, or "triktrak" as it was known then, was a popular pastime but also carried connotations of leisure and perhaps even idleness. Note how centrally it's positioned; the game board is like a stage for their interactions. But look closer – what about the figure peering out of the window above? Editor: That's interesting! He's almost framed like a portrait, separated from the rest. Does he represent something different? Curator: He could represent observation, perhaps judgement. Or maybe the transience of such leisure, against the wider world outside the tavern. Consider the pipes and the jug. What emotions or values might they have triggered for viewers at the time? Editor: Right. Pipes represent pleasure and relaxation, but perhaps also impermanence? The jug signifies revelry, but potentially overindulgence, too? The fact they’re grouped together creates a mood… It hints at how daily routines also act as vessels of memory. Curator: Precisely. And Gole, through his skillful rendering of light and shadow, highlights these nuanced cultural understandings, embedding familiar archetypes of 17th-century Dutch society in this small, intimate scene. This invites questions regarding what society values then and today. Do we view leisure the same way, or are our values altered by new customs? Editor: It's amazing how much meaning can be layered into a scene like this. Thanks for bringing those subtleties to light. It feels less “ordinary” now, more deliberate in its messaging. Curator: Indeed, it makes one ponder what routine actually represents. I’ve learnt a great deal, thanks.