#wine

Man, woman, glass of wine in a tidy room — this was a whole genre in the Netherlands, and buyers at the time apparently read it straight off as a warning about where the drinking was heading. There's said to be a figure in the stained glass holding a set of reins, which stood for holding yourself back.

This one apparently started life under a different name — an auction catalogue in 1696 just called it 'a merry company in a room.' It's also one of only three paintings he actually signed and dated, which is a strange thing to bother with for a scene like this one.

This one was made for a cardinal, from what I've read - and apparently some of the fruit in the bowl is already turning, which people take as a nod to how fast all this will fade.