A Peasant holding a Jug and a Pipe
- Artist: Adriaen van Ostade
- Date: about 1650-5
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "A Peasant holding a Jug and a Pipe" painted in the Dutch north by Adriaen van Ostade. It's a great example of his ability to portray the human condition, capturing the giddiness of this drunken peasant as he sweeps backwards. You can almost sense his happiness despite being quite unsteady on his feet. The painter has displayed different textures with incredible realism: look at the glossy earthenware jug and its tin lid, the flesh of the hand, and the creases in the sleeve and fur collar above. Even the hair peeping out from under the hat is wonderfully detailed. What's striking about this painting is how Van Ostade makes us feel like we're looking at a real person, not just a caricature. Despite being a nameless character, he invites our engagement and interaction.
See it in person
A Peasant holding a Jug and a Pipe hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
