The Little Girls' Tavern c. 1620

Pierre Brebiette created this print, “The Little Girls’ Tavern,” sometime in the first half of the 17th century. The composition immediately draws us into a scene of domestic revelry, etched with fine, deliberate lines. The subjects, seemingly children, are caught in a moment of playful yet mature activity. Brebiette’s mastery is evident in the way he manipulates line and form to create depth and texture within such a small space. The hatching technique not only defines the figures but also adds a certain vibrancy to the scene, emphasizing the subtle gradations of light and shadow. The backdrop, with its vertical lines, serves to frame the subjects, pushing them forward and underscoring their actions. The ambiguity of their age destabilizes conventional readings of innocence and experience. The tavern setting, complete with a candlelit table, suggests a worldliness that clashes with the subjects’ youthful appearance. Is Brebiette commenting on the early loss of innocence, or perhaps satirizing social norms? This print invites us to question the boundaries between youth and adulthood, play and labor, challenging fixed notions of identity and societal expectations.