Art Institute of Chicago

Circle Dance

David Teniers the Younger

Date

1635/68

Medium

Etching in black on cream laid paper

Culture

Flanders

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The Antwerp artist David Teniers the Younger specialized in scenes of merrymaking peasants, a staple of Flemish art since the mid-16th century. Although many of his peasant scenes include a huge cast of characters, this etching depicts a more intimate gathering. Two couples have joined together in a circle, spinning and kicking their heels in the air. In this period, bagpipers often stood on barrels when playing for large crowds, but here the musician sits beside a companion. Teniers’s loose, seemingly nonchalant style fits well with this humble but animated subject matter.

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