Singing Couples and Violin 1610 - 1685

Adriaen van Ostade's etching, “Singing Couples and Violin,” depicts a lively scene of everyday life in 17th-century Holland. The work, created between 1610 and 1685, features three figures in a dimly lit room, with a musician playing a violin for two couples as they sing. The couple on the left holds a songbook and the man on the right enjoys a drink. This intimate, domestic scene showcases Ostade’s mastery of etching, a technique that allows for the delicate portrayal of light and shadow, as seen in the subtle details of the figures’ clothing and the interior setting. This artwork provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of common people in Dutch Golden Age society.