Artwork

Peasants Playing Cards

Peasants Playing Cards, by Norbert van Bloemen, oil, 1700
Peasants Playing Cards, by Norbert van Bloemen, oil, 1700

Peasants Playing Cards is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Norbert van Bloemen. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition features farmers gathered around a barrel while seated on chairs, set against a backdrop that includes a tree and a building.

Norbert van Bloemen's Peasants Playing Cards, created in 1700, is a genre painting that depicts a rural scene centered on a card game. The composition features farmers gathered around a barrel while seated on chairs, set against a backdrop that includes a tree and a building. As a work of genre art from Flanders, the piece captures a moment of everyday leisure among the lower classes rather than illustrating a specific historical event or mythological narrative.

The inclusion of the barrel and outdoor elements suggests a casual village setting, emphasizing the simplicity and immediacy of peasant life.

Technique & Style

Peasants Playing Cards is an oil-on-canvas genre scene painted in 1700 by Norbert van Bloemen, a Flemish artist active in the early 18th century. The work measures 56.3 cm in height by 66.6 cm in width and depicts peasants gathered around a barrel to play cards in an outdoor setting that includes a chair, a tree, and a building. Executed in oil paint, the surface shows the careful rendering of everyday details that emphasizes the narrative quality characteristic of Flemish genre painting.

History & Provenance

Norbert van Bloemen, also known as Cephalus, created the oil painting Peasants Playing Cards in 1700. The work was produced in Flanders and executed on canvas. It depicts a genre scene featuring farmers engaged in a card game, surrounded by elements such as a barrel, chair, tree, and building.

The painting currently resides in the collection of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, where it is listed as part of the museum's collection. The work does not bear a designated accession number in the available records, and no exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.

Overview

Norbert van Bloemen's Peasants Playing Cards, an oil painting from 1700, presents a lively outdoor genre scene. The composition centers on a group of rural individuals engaged in a card game, offering a glimpse into everyday life. This work is currently housed within the extensive collection of the State Hermitage Museum.

The card players
The card players, David Teniers the Younger

Artist & collection

Portrait of Norbert van Bloemen

Artist

Norbert van Bloemen

Norbert van Bloemen (1641–1724) was an artist, born in Amsterdam.

Hermitage Museum

Museum

Hermitage Museum

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Hermitage Museum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Peasants Playing Cards?

Peasants Playing Cards was painted by Norbert van Bloemen in 1700-01-01.

Where can I see Peasants Playing Cards?

Peasants Playing Cards is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Peasants Playing Cards?

Peasants Playing Cards is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Peasants Playing Cards?

Museum-quality prints of Peasants Playing Cards are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.