The Card Game on the Cradle: Allegory 1643 - 1683

"The Card Game on the Cradle: Allegory," by Johannes van Wijckersloot, is a painting completed sometime between 1643 and 1683. This oil on canvas depicts a group of individuals playing cards, with an infant lying in a cradle beside them. The scene is both playful and thought-provoking, hinting at the fleeting nature of life and the importance of prioritizing family over frivolous pursuits. The painting, with its intimate setting and detailed rendering, is characteristic of Dutch Golden Age genre painting. This piece is an excellent example of the genre of "genre painting", which focuses on scenes of everyday life. The painting is approximately 98 cm high, 121 cm wide, and 7.5 cm deep.