Artwork

Peasant with his hand in his cloak

Peasant with his hand in his cloak, by Adriaen van Ostade, 1647
Peasant with his hand in his cloak, by Adriaen van Ostade, 1647

Peasant with his hand in his cloak is a print by the Baroque artist Adriaen van Ostade. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1647 by Dutch artist Adriaen van Ostade, this print portrays a solitary peasant figure. The work exemplifies the artist’s focus on quotidian subjects, capturing a moment of everyday life with modest compositional means. It is part of the permanent holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed among other works of the Dutch Golden Age.

Subject & Meaning

His left hand is concealed within the folds of his cloak, while the right hand rests on his hip, suggesting a relaxed yet self‑contained posture.

The image shows a man turned in profile, clad in a broad-brimmed hat and a long, draped coat. His left hand is concealed within the folds of his cloak, while the right hand rests on his hip, suggesting a relaxed yet self‑contained posture. The sparse background reduces distraction, directing attention to the figure’s attire and demeanor, typical of genre depictions that emphasize ordinary individuals.

Technique & Style

Executed with swift, gestural lines, the drawing conveys a sense of immediacy and unfinished texture. Emphasis is placed on the rendering of fabric folds and the subtle modeling of light across the face, reflecting common practices in Dutch genre drawing of the period. The minimal ground line anchors the figure without elaborating the setting.

History & Provenance

The print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the early twentieth century, joining a broader assemblage of Dutch Golden Age works. Its attribution to van Ostade has been consistently affirmed by scholars, situating it within his prolific output of genre scenes that documented the lives of common folk.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Adriaen van Ostade

Artist

Adriaen van Ostade

Adriaen van Ostade (baptized as Adriaen Jansz Hendricx 10 December 1610 – buried 2 May 1685) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of genre works, showing the everyday life of ordinary men and women.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.