Jan Miense Molenaer Haarlem circa 1610 - 1668

Painted in 1631, this is a rare early work by the artist which precedes by three years his admittance into the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke in 1634. Typical of Molenaer at this early stage is the youthful energy imbued upon each character along with the lively colouring and free brushwork.

This panel was originally conceived with a different meaning in mind than that which is borne out today; in the doorway to the left stood a skeleton (or possibly two skeletons) which has since been painted out. The skeleton, a symbol of vanitas, was pointing an arrow at the group of figures around the table representing the Three Ages of Man; a young boy, a young man dancing, and an old man; another skeleton hung over the group brandishing an hourglass. In another, slightly smaller, version of this composition that sold New York, Sotheby's, 27 January 2006, lot 238 (for $216,000) these skeletons are still present. This subsidiary scene, with these obvious allusions to the brevity of human life reminds the viewer that death can strike anyone at any time and this was an extremely popular theme in 17th-century Holland. With the skeletons removed we are left with a merry company allegorising the five senses: the musicians stand for Hearing, the pipe smoke for Smell, the wine for Taste, the old man reading for Sight and the girl caressing the young man's groin for Touch.