Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667), Seguace - The Old Drinker

Gabriel Metsu (Leiden, 1629 – Amsterdam, 24 October 1667) Follower of “The Old Drinker” 1800/1820 Oil on panel Measurements: 36 x 31 cm in an 19th-century frame Panel: 25 x 20 cm Scope: Dutch school, after Gabriël Metsu Technique: oil on panel Support: wooden panel Subject: genre scene Model: Gabriël Metsu, The Old Drinker, circa 1661–1663, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. SK-A-250. Cataloguing attribution: Follower of Gabriël Metsu, 19th century The Old Drinker a Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667) Description of the work The painting depicts an elderly man seated indoors at a tavern, portrayed frontally as he looks toward the observer. He wears a heavy coat in brown-olive tones, a white-collared shirt, and a distinctive reddish hat trimmed with fur. The figure rests his right arm on a large wooden barrel with a tap for pouring. In his hand he holds a long pipe, while with the other he supports a beer mug. Behind him appear a hanging jug and a blackboard, elements that contribute to defining the popular setting. The Metsu prototype precisely presents these elements: an elderly man seated beside the barrel, a pipe in the right hand, a mug in the left, and a jug hanging on the wall. The Rijksmuseum also notes that the drinks on the blackboard indicate the beverages consumed and identifies the original barrel with the Het Rode Hert brewery of Amsterdam. The scene belongs to the tradition of Dutch still life and genre painting of the Seventeenth Century, in which apparently everyday episodes become occasions for a careful observation of character, objects, and social habits. Frame The work is presented within a gilded wooden frame of nineteenth‑century taste, with an architectural profile and concentric moldings. Particularly characteristic is the black decoration with vegetal and ornamental motifs, applied to the gilded band at the corners and central areas. The gilding shows widespread abrasions, wear, and small losses that locally reveal the preparation and underlying support. Condition Report Overall condition: good for age. The panel, as seen in the photographs, appears overall stable. The painted surface retains good legibility, and the modeling of the figure, especially the face, remains well defined. Visible are superficial abrasions, small scratches, and minute losses/local discontinuities of the paint layer, more noticeable in the dark areas. *** Photographic note The photographs of the work were taken with professional studio lighting and spotlights to allow better readability of the composition, details, and painting material. This lighting may cause slight variations in color perception and brightness compared with viewing the work directly. The photographs are for illustrative and documentary purposes only. The frame is provided free of charge and as a gift with the work and should be considered an accessory element, not included in the painting’s economic valuation. Due to the inherent fragility of antique gilded frames, any damage, detachment, breakage, or losses of parts of the frame occurring during transport or shipping cannot be the subject of reimbursement, indemnity, or dispute concerning the work’s value. The packing will, however, be prepared with the utmost care to ensure as safe a transport as possible. insured shipping Attribution Expertise *** For historical interest reasons the work cannot be shipped outside the European Community / insured shipment in a wooden crate

Estimate:£1,016.66

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