Tavern Scene with Carousing Men
n.d.
Medium
Pen and black-brown ink on dark tan laid paper
Dimensions
15.7 × 21.6 cm (6 3/16 × 8 9/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
95644
Art Historical Context
Jean Le Pautre’s *Tavern Scene with Carousing Men* invites viewers into a lively moment of 17th-century social life. Rendered in pen and black-brown ink on dark tan laid paper, the small drawing measures just 15.7 × 21.6 cm, yet it brims with energy. Le Pautre, a French designer and engraver active during the Baroque period, was celebrated for his inventive compositions; here he captures a group of men gathered around a table, their animated gestures suggesting laughter, conversation, and perhaps a bit of revelry. The choice of pen and ink allowed the artist to work quickly and expressively, ...