Peasants Warming Themselves

Giacomo Francesco Cipper called Il Todeschini (act. 1705-1736) was probably of Northern origins (his nickname Todeschini stands for 'tedesco', literally German). Very little is known about his life although he was active in the region of Bergamo and Brescia and may have been close to the painter Giacomo Antonio Ceruti, (1698-1767) whose art bears some characteristic similarities.

This painting is a good example of Cipper's genre painting, a category in which he specialised almost exclusively. It shows an intimate scene with two peasants warming their hands over a brazier while each one is defined by his attribute: a pitcher for the old man alluding to his drinking habit and a spindle for the old woman referring to her constant hard work. Although stiff in their gesture, the figures however look lively, their worn faces expressing certain serenity.