Singers at the Window
1610–85
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 5/16 x 7 3/8 in. (23.7 x 18.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.477
Tags
Art Historical Context
Adriaen van Ostade *Singers at the Window*c. 1610–1685) is a charming etching from the Dutch Golden, capturing the lively spirit of everyday peasant life. Ostade, a master genre scenes, specialized in depicting the rustic joys and antics of common folk—often with a touch of humor and warmth. This intimate print, measuring just 9 5/16 x 7 3/8 inches, men gathered at a window, their faces animated as they sing, evoking spontaneous music-making that filled 17th-century Dutch villages and taverns. Etching was van Ostade's preferred medium for such works, allowing him to etch intricate lines into ...
About the Artist
Adriaen van Ostade · 1610–1685
Adriaen Jansz. van Ostade (1610-1685) was a Dutch Baroque painter and printmaker who specialized in genre scenes of peasant life. Born and raised in Haarlem, he became one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of the Dutch Golden Age, producing over 800 paintings, 50 etchings, and numerous drawings. Van Ostade's significance in art history lies in his masterful depiction of peasant life, a ...