The Inn c. 17th century

Curator: This etching is titled "The Inn," by Cornelis Bega, who was active in the mid-17th century. The print, only about 22 by 17 centimeters, is part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels cramped, almost claustrophobic, doesn’t it? The dark background makes the figures huddle together, as if sharing secrets. Curator: Bega seems interested in archetypes here, a stock scene of everyday life in a Dutch tavern. The inn as a social space, but also as a place of questionable morals and behavior. Editor: Look at the way the light falls on the woman's face, though. There's a quiet melancholy there, a world of unspoken stories. The hat looks like a symbol to me. Curator: Perhaps. Or just a bit of social commentary on the attire of the lower classes? In either case, Bega has preserved a vision of life at the Inn in 17th-century Netherlands. Editor: It's a reminder that even in the simplest scenes, profound emotional truths can be found.