Three Smokers at a Window

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In this whimsical print of three men enjoying a drink and a smoke, Nicolas van Haeften illustrated the lifestyle of the Dutch peasant, a frequent subject in his work. Rocks and sticks gather on the ledge above the window, and rain pours down over the wooden boards that patch the building’s aging exterior, but the men ignore their surroundings, one even making a toast with his drink. The life of a Dutch peasant was not easy: jobs paid little and required manual labor, and housing was overly crowded and poorly maintained. For most peasants, leisure time was a rare pleasure in an otherwise difficult world.

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