De vrolijke drinker
Ter Brugghen borrowed the idea of painting this earthy character with bad teeth from Bartolomeo Manfredi. The Roman Caravaggist was the first to paint male half-lengths drinking amusedly to the viewer. Starting in 1624, Ter Brugghen preferred to paint figures with a bare shoulder, accentuated by soft light. During this period, his palette was darker than it had been previously, allowing us to date this picture at around 1625. <span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">In the late medieval city, sinful behaviour such as excessive drinking, revelry and gambling were discouraged as much as possible for fear of God’s punishment. This moderation fitted well with Galen’s idea that an excess of food and drink would lead to health problems. This merry drinker doesn’t seem to care. He is eating a salted herring, which would only increase his thirst.</span>
