Rokende en drinkende mannen in een herberg 1778

Editor: This is "Rokende en drinkende mannen in een herberg," or "Smoking and drinking men in a tavern," a 1778 print by Valentine Green, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as quite dark, almost secretive, with the men huddled together. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: The dim light definitely contributes to the feeling. The artist uses shadow to create a sense of intimacy, but also, perhaps, something a little… conspiratorial? Note how the smoke from the pipes curls and rises, almost like thought made visible. Think of smoke and alcohol as symbols across cultures – of fleeting pleasure, of escape, but also of communion. How do you see that symbolism playing out here? Editor: I suppose it emphasizes a shared experience, something almost ritualistic? But the tavern also seems like a space apart from everyday life. Curator: Precisely. Taverns were often seen as liminal spaces, on the edge of society, where social rules could be bent, or even broken. Look closely at their faces, especially the man with the pipe. Do you notice the contrast between the deep shadows around his eyes and the light on his cheek? It's a careful rendering of a face holding secrets. Editor: It does feel like he holds more knowledge than he's letting on. It is like a hidden society being portrayed in an otherwise normal and accessible social location. Curator: And the act of smoking itself – exhaling, releasing – is connected across time with meditation and transformation, even magical thinking. What stories might be hidden behind their shadowed faces? What memories are evoked by the shared smoke? Editor: It’s fascinating to think about the deeper meanings hidden within what seems like a simple scene of men socializing! I had only thought of it as something that captured life during the time. Curator: It reveals how even simple social location of enjoyment such as a tavern had rituals and hidden meanings embedded in a shared experience. The work also inspires contemplation of how those customs continue through the current day.