Rijksmuseum

De roker

Date

c. 1635 - c. 1640

Medium

oil paint (paint), oak (wood)

Institution

Rijksmuseum

Slouching in his chair, with his breeches open, the man blows smoke from his pipe through his nose. His eyes are glazed, as though he is in a stupor. In the 17th century smoking had fervent supporters as well as opponents. Some scholars held that tobacco smoke was therapeutic for both body and spirit; others were convinced that pipe-smoking was as harmful as excessive drinking.

The authoritative record is held by Rijksmuseum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.