The Smokers 1636

Adriaen Brouwer, a Flemish artist, painted this oil on panel titled 'The Smokers' sometime in the 17th century. Brouwer lived a bohemian life and was known for his genre scenes depicting everyday life, particularly the lower classes. Here, we see a group of men gathered, presumably in a tavern, indulging in tobacco. In the 17th century, smoking was a relatively new and somewhat controversial activity, associated with both pleasure and vice. Brouwer captures the range of reactions to the experience, from amusement to apparent discomfort. Consider the socio-economic implications: who had access to tobacco, and what did it mean to partake in this new ritual? Brouwer doesn't shy away from depicting the raw, unfiltered aspects of life. Instead he invites us to consider the humanity, and perhaps even the vulnerabilities, of those on the margins of society.