Vrolijk gezelschap aan een tafel in de openlucht c. 1659 - 1661

Gesina ter Borch sketched this lively outdoor gathering with pen and ink. Observe the shared table, a potent symbol of communion and conviviality. The motif of people gathering around a table resonates through art history, evoking Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper,’ where the table is heavy with anticipation and betrayal, or the Dutch banquets, often laden with symbols of vanitas. Here, the setting is more relaxed, yet the symbolic weight remains. The communal table evokes a deep, almost primal yearning for connection. It serves as a stage for social rituals and emotional exchanges. These shared moments tap into our collective memory. Across centuries, the table has seen countless iterations, each imbued with the spirit of its time, bearing witness to evolving social norms, emotional landscapes, and the persistent human desire for communion.