Peasants at an Inn

In a messy inn, three men are sitting at a table. One of them is bending forwards to light his pipe, while the man opposite raises his glass and a third man tunes his fiddle.

The Haarlem artist Van Ostade specialised in scenes of villagers and peasants, which he depicted in a rather free style. This type of peasant painting was very popular with respectable citizens, who were amused by the clumsy behaviour of these coarse characters.