David TENIERS II the Younger (Antwerp 1610 - Brussels 1690) - Lot 22

David TENIERS II the Younger (Antwerp 1610 - Brussels 1690) Interior peasant scene with three smokers and a servant girl Oak panel, one board, not parqueted. Signed lower right D Teniers Fe. 25.5 x 19 cm Provenance: - perhaps Trouard Collection 1779 (Smith n°218: The Companion, An interior, with boors smoking. Collection of M. Trouard 1779. 9,5 in. by 8 in.) ; - collection of Marquis François de Castellane, until 2010. Our painting is a typical example of the smoking scenes that David Teniers multiplied from the 1630s, reflecting the widespread use of tobacco, even in more modest circles. The painting's brown, almost monochrome palette is vibrantly brushed. Only the figure at the table in the foreground stands out for its bright colors. Teniers drew inspiration for the central figure's pose from a composition by Andrien Brouwer in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Peasants Smoking and Drinking (inv. 2062). Noteworthy are the beautiful still lifes, the subtle effects of light on objects, notably the glass carafe the glass carafe on the mantelpiece, the raised nail holding the lantern, the firebrand by the fire or the elegant placement pitcher and brazier on the upturned barrel. We would like to thank Dr. Margret Klinge for confirming the authenticity of this work by direct examination on February 21, 2024.