Adriaen van Ostade - Peasants Drinking, verso: sketches of peasants

Adriaen van Ostade was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes depicting peasant life. He was born in Haarlem, Netherlands, in 1610 and died there in 1685. Van Ostade was a contemporary of other Dutch Golden Age masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer. His works often feature peasants engaged in various activities such as drinking, smoking, and merrymaking, capturing the everyday life of the lower classes with remarkable detail and empathy. Van Ostade was particularly skilled at portraying light and shadow, creating richly textured and atmospheric scenes. In addition to his paintings, van Ostade also produced etchings, which further contributed to his reputation as a prominent artist of his time.