Follower of Matthias Stomer

Follower of MATTHIAS STOMER (c. 1600 - after 1652); Italian school; 17th century.
"Evening Evening".
Oil on canvas. Re-coloured.
Measurements: 121 x 147 cm.
Scene of costumbrist character in which the artist gathers in the composition a group of men with a woman. All of them are arranged around a table which can hardly be seen. However, a plate of pasta, a knife and a candle are the only points of light in the scene. The men are eating, smoking a pipe and drinking, all of them showing relaxed attitudes that can be seen not only in the act they are performing but also in the poses in which the artist has depicted them, with the figure on the left of the composition standing out to a great extent. All of them are dressed in clearly detailed 17th-century clothing, as are the faces of the characters, created in the tradition of Baroque naturalism, bringing realism and narrative to the scene. Due to its subject matter, the work can be classified as a type of tavern painting, which in the 17th century was a vindication of the popular. However, it is worth noting the presence of the only woman in the scene. She gazes at one of the figures and holds her shoulders in her hand, hinting at some kind of close relationship, which in the darkness of the scene suggests a courtesan rather than a waitress.
Matthias Stom or Matthias Stomer was a Dutch, or possibly Flemish, painter who is only known for the works he produced during his residence in Italy. His painting was greatly influenced by the work of non-Italian followers of Caravaggio in Italy, in particular his Dutch followers often referred to as the Utrecht Caravaggists, as well as by Jusepe de Ribera and Peter Paul Rubens, and he worked in various locations in Italy where he enjoyed the patronage of religious institutions as well as prominent members of the nobility.