Man Holding a Jug

Michiel Sweerts

ca. 1660 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings

This painting is not a portrait of an identifiable sitter, but rather a character study of a man Sweerts recruited as a professional model. Clutching a tankard and glass, with a pipe and loose tobacco before him, the man embodies the pleasures of the senses. At the same time, his thoughtful and individual expression makes him transcend any mere type or moralizing lesson.

Artist

Michiel Sweerts

Date

ca. 1660

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Gift of Herman and Lila Shickman, 2001