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Sense of Taste by Adriaen van Ostade

Adriaen van Ostade · 1635-01-01

Adriaen van Ostade's "Sense of Taste," painted in 1635 and housed at the State Hermitage Museum, captures a quiet moment of everyday life in 17th-century Holland. What's curious is that there are two dates on the painting: 1635 (the year it was painted) and 1610.

The painting focuses on the simple pleasures of eating and drinking, with figures absorbed in their meals. From the man drinking from a jug, eyes closed in pleasure, to the old man intently savoring his food, the artist brings these sensory experiences to life.

Adriaen van Ostade was a Dutch Golden Age painter, famous for his genre scenes depicting the lives of ordinary men and women. The date 1610, carved on a wooden beam within the painting, is the year of his birth. It's a subtle, personal touch from the artist, a nod to his own beginnings within a scene of daily life.

It makes you wonder, was this an intentional self-reference or a hidden detail for the keen-eyed viewer?

Details

It shows humble everyday life in 17th-century Holland.
It shows humble everyday life in 17th-century Holland.
The painter was known for scenes of ordinary people.
The painter was known for scenes of ordinary people.
Look closely at the wooden beam above the woman.
Look closely at the wooden beam above the woman.
Transcript

This painting is called "Sense of Taste" (1635). It shows humble everyday life in 17th-century Holland. The painter was known for scenes of ordinary people. Look closely at the wooden beam above the woman. An earlier date is carved here: 1610. The painter was only 25 in 1635. He was born in 1610, the date on the beam.