A Confidential Chat

A man and a woman are enjoying a drink, some food, and a pipe in an inn. Curious how the plainly dressed woman holds her glass with both hands. Is she drunk? This late work by Ostade – he was 62 years old – originated in a time in which the lower echelons of society were no longer caricatured, but rather presented enjoying simple pleasures. Through her gaze, the woman draws us into the scene.