A Guardroom Scene With Tric-Trac Players In The Foreground 1647

David Teniers the Younger painted this scene of leisure, probably in Antwerp, using oil on canvas. Notice the interplay of materials, not just in the scene itself, but in Teniers’ very approach. Oil paint has a particular smoothness, which allows for the easy depiction of other appealing surfaces. The gleaming armor, the textured textiles of the clothing, and the warm wood of the tric-trac table are all made to entice the viewer. But there is another kind of labor on display here. While the foreground figures enjoy their dice game, in the background, there is a hint of less pleasurable occupations – soldiers, waiting in the shadows. These materials point us to a larger context of early modern Antwerp, a place of trade, and also of constant military threat. Teniers is subtly reminding us of all the work it takes to make such a casual scene possible.