A Jolly Company, Dirck Hals

Episode 243. I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art.A lively group of well-to-do individuals gathers in A Jolly Company, a small panel painting from the first half of the 17th century by the Dutch artist Dirck Hals. The attractive young men and women indulge in food and drink while they converse and flirt. Oysters, wine, and poultry are laid out in a sumptuous meal before them, and the luxury of the food is matched by their opulent dress. The elegant fabrics and rich fare evoke the expanding fortunes of the residents of the Dutch Republic. The emphasis on cloth, from the attire worn by the figures to the linen table cloth with its prominent folds, perhaps appealed to 17th century Dutch viewers’ pride in important trades. Linen production played a critical role in Haarlem, where Dirck Hals painted for customers who profited from this industry. The ostentatious figures and the emphasis on sensory pleasures, however, contradict the Protestant values of moderation and restraint held by many Dutch citizens. This type of image of a merry company often embodied the ambiguous moral nature of partaking in worldly pleasures made possible by Dutch prosperity. With thanks to Lindsey Waugh for her text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.