Rokende oude man warmt zijn handen 1658 - 1677

Wallerant Vaillant's etching, "Rokende oude man warmt zijn handen," depicts an elderly man, perhaps a peasant, warming his hands over a small brazier while smoking a pipe. This intimate scene, created between 1658 and 1677, highlights the daily life of common folk in the Dutch Golden Age. Vaillant was known for his realistic depictions of everyday life, and this piece exemplifies his skill in capturing subtle details and the fleeting moments of ordinary existence. The etching's composition, with the figures placed against a dark background, draws the viewer's attention to the old man's weathered hands and the humble tools of his life.