The Smoker 1655

Adriaen van Ostade's "The Smoker" (1655) depicts a man seated in a dimly lit tavern setting, likely a peasant, enjoying a pipe. The figure is casually dressed and holds the pipe in his right hand, gazing upwards. The painting is a prime example of the Dutch Golden Age genre painting, specifically a portrayal of everyday life, known as "genre painting." Ostade's works are renowned for their meticulous attention to detail and masterful use of chiaroscuro, a technique that creates a strong contrast between light and dark.