Just Deserts

As his partner flees in fright, a quarrelsome man still fights, though a man and woman whip him. Perhaps drawn from an unidentified Dutch proverb, the scene shows the reward ("just deserts") for anger. Paintings with moral messages were extremely popular in the Netherlands, whether they be panels illustrating dozens of proverbs or single examples of negative behavior, as here. Van de Venne adds to the drama with cloaks and aprons flapping in the wind, while the whippers lift the man's shirt as they strike.

Born in Delft, Adriaen van de Venne moved to Middelburg as a young man and came under the influence of the Brueghel family of painters. Working also as a poet, he focused on humble subjects and especially on daily life. As a mature artist he popularized monochrome paintings, grisailles, like this one.