The Fortune Teller

With the same type of construction and ambiances, which were enjoyed by Caravaggio and his followers, we can admire this painting by Molenaer in a setting close to the last, that of The Fortune Teller.
A man of bourgeoise appearance listens attentively to the predictions.
A servant seems to indicate the arrival of new customers. In the background, deep in darkness, a man, perhaps accompanied by a woman, moves the curtains that hide a bed.
This panel denounces in an implicit manner the pleasures born of excessive consumption ;
tobacco, alcohol, gambling or lust. For the moralists of the 17th century, card games were the mark of a lazy nature, and by extension the attribute of vice personified.
In this work, Molenaerreduces almost his full range of color for the near-monochrome brown shades, and uses warm chiaroscuroslifted here and there with accents of light hooked to a face or an object.
Based on the texts by Sandrine Le Bideau in the catalog Flemish and Dutch paintings—Collection of the Châteauroux museums (Peintures Flamande et Hollandaise—Collection des Musées de Châteauroux) Somogy-Editions d'Art.