The Fête Champêtre

In an imaginary park surrounding a capital villa, elegantly attired young people celebrate by making music, feasting, drinking and flirting. At first glance this frivolous party would appear to be devoted exclusively to sensual pleasures, but Dirck Hals has cleverly added a moralistic note, in the form of the little monkey in the foreground. A chained monkey symbolized Man who allows himself to be fettered by his sins and is unable to free himself. This is a warning to the viewer not to allow the celebrations to degenerate into debauchery. Dirck Hals was a brother of Frans Hals, his junior by ten years. His work bears a resemblance to that of Willem Buytewech.

Purchased in 1899.