Signboard of a wineshop: tasting the wine (one side); barreling the wine (other side)

Around 1650 Aelbert Cuyp, a prominent Dutch Golden‑Age painter, produced a small copper work that functioned as a commercial sign for a wine merchant. The piece is divided into two panels: one depicting a patron tasting wine, the other showing the process of barreling it. It is presently held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

The interior scene presents two figures in a dimly lit room. A well‑dressed man reclines in a chair, his boots removed, a feather fan in hand, while a dog rests at his feet. A second figure stands in the doorway, hat in hand, observing the scene. The composition suggests a moment of leisure and the everyday business of wine trade.

The work has been part of the Rijksmuseum’s holdings since the early 20th century, acquired through the museum’s efforts to assemble representative examples of Dutch commercial art. Its attribution to Cuyp rests on stylistic analysis and documentation linking the piece to his workshop around the mid‑17th century.

During the Dutch Golden Age, signboards served both advertising and decorative purposes, often portraying the goods sold. Cuyp’s sign reflects the period’s interest in realistic genre scenes and the growing importance of wine consumption in urban Dutch society, merging commercial function with artistic skill.