The Jolly Drinker

Judith Leyster (mentioned on object), 1629

This drinker shows off his empty jug, his cheeks flushed from alcohol. Judith Leyster, Haarlem’s only female master painter, was known for these kinds of paintings. Stylistically similar to the work of her fellow townsman Frans Hals, the painting was long attributed to him. Her monogram was not discovered until 1893, located above the jug on the right: JL with a star.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-1685
  • Dimensionssupport: height 88.2 cm x width 87.9 cm, outer size: height 107.7 cm x width 103 cm x depth 8 cm, sight size: height 87 cm x width 81.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on canvas

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • The Jolly Drinker
    • A Fool Holding a Jug, known as ‘The Jolly Drinker’

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-1685

  • Description

    De vrolijke drinker. Een lachende man houdt een kruik met deksel omhoog. Met een gepluimde baret op het hoofd, zittend aan een tafel waarop een vuurtestje, pijp en tabak liggen.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature and date, with ligated monogram and star, upper right: ‘1629 / JL*’

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Judith Leyster (mentioned on object)

  • Dating

    1629

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    • support: height 88.2 cm x width 87.9 cm
    • outer size: height 107.7 cm x width 103 cm x depth 8 cm
    • sight size: height 87 cm x width 81.5 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Purchased with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1897-01

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …; sale, Mme Vve R.-V., Paris (M. Delestre), 24 April 1890, no. 17, as J. Hals (‘Le Joyeux Buveur. Assis près d’une table recouverte d’un tapis et tourney vers la droite, il est coiffé d’une toque noire orné d’une longue plume et montre en riant un cruchon de bière qu’il vient de vider. Sur la table, un brasero, une pipe et du tabac dans un papier. Ce tableau […] était anciennement attribué à Jan Steen, mais cette attribution ne concorde pas avec le monogramme qui se voit sur cette toile et qui serait celui de J. Hals, fils de Franz. Toile. Haut, 88 cent, large, 83 cent.’);…; from the dealer Franz Kleinberger, Paris, fl. 4,500, to the museum, with the support of the Rembrandt Association, January 1897; on loan to the Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, since 1960

Documentation

    • Els Kloek, De man in vrouwenogen, uit: Mannen door vrouwen : Vijf eeuwen kunst, 2014, pagina 4-13 - afb. p. 8
    • Erik Spaans, 'Feestgedruis : van banketten tot kermissen', Museum Tijdschrift 24 (2011) nr. 8, p. 16-19.
    • Jaarverslag Rijksmuseum (1897), p. 14.
    • A. von Schneider, 'Gerard Honthorst und Judith Leyster', Oud Holland (1922), p. 170, afb.

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