Peasant with a glass jug

A grinning peasant, wearing a brown hat and red jacket looks out of the painting indicating a small empty glass jug in his right hand. This painting appears to have been inspired by a series of mezzotint engravings ca. 1670-1690 by the Dutch printmaker Abraham Blooteling who worked in Amsterdam and London after a design by Petrus Staverenus (fl. 1634-54). Staverenus designed a series of works representing the five senses as personified by peasants. The pendant to this painting (309-1864) depicts 'Hearing,' represented as a peasant chinking coins into his hand. The known engravings in this series by Blooteling depict 'Sight,' 'Smell,' and 'Touch.' 'Taste' is missing from the series, which nevertheless appears to have been particularly popular as it was also engraved in the 17th century by Pieter Schenck (1660-1713) and Jan Verkolje (1650-1693).