Rokers rond tafel 1799

This etching, by Nikolaj Hermannsz Peters, depicts smokers around a table. The dominant symbol here is the pipe, an object that transcends mere utility. Historically, the pipe signifies contemplation, relaxation, but also communion. Consider the ancient rituals where smoke carried prayers to the heavens. The pipe, a miniature hearth, embodies this connection, a shared experience, binding individuals in a collective ritual. One is reminded of similar communal scenes in Dutch Golden Age paintings, yet here, the mood is more intimate, almost dreamlike. Note how the act of smoking is rendered, each figure lost in thought, their faces illuminated by the dim light. The smoke, an ephemeral spirit, unites them. There is a psychoanalytic dimension to this image – the pipe could be seen as a symbol of introspection. This recurring motif reflects humanity's search for solace and understanding through altered states. The image resonates on a primal level, stirring collective memories of shared rituals.