Adriaen van Ostade (1610-1685), d’après - Gravure ancienne en manière noire par John Smith – XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle

Beautiful old print depicting a Dutch genre scene in which four figures are gathered at a window. In the foreground, a young man deciphers a sheet of music while another lights it by the glow of a candle. Two figures emerge from the shadows, giving the composition an intimate and theatrical atmosphere.

Executed according to the chiaroscuro technique, this engraving stands out for the depth of its shadows, the softness of the modeling, and the subtle handling of light. The candle flame illuminates the faces and hands, bringing out the expressions of the characters against a background almost entirely dark.

The plate bears in its lower margin several ancient inscriptions mentioning Adriaen van Ostade as the inventor of the composition, Van Heemskerck as the painter of the model, and John Smith as the engraver and publisher. It testifies to the diffusion of Dutch compositions by English interpreters-engravers.

Proof on antique paper, presenting a beautiful legibility of the composition and the blacks still held. The whole retains its historical character, with signs of time visible: yellowing of the paper, foxing, marginal soiling, and a diagonal mark in the lower left part.

Dimensions: 28 × 21 cm.