Artwork
Soo D'oude Songen Soo Pepen De Jongen (As the old sing, so the young twitter)
Soo D'oude Songen Soo Pepen De Jongen (As the old sing, so the young twitter) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Schelte Adams Bolswert. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created around 1640, this engraving on laid paper is attributed to Schelte Adamsz.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1640, this engraving on laid paper is attributed to Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert, a Frisian printmaker who worked chiefly in Antwerp. Known for reproducing the designs of leading Baroque painters, Bolswert rendered the scene with the characteristic vigor of the period, translating a painted composition into a detailed print.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents six figures and a dog gathered around a table laden with food and drink. The participants engage in lively interaction, suggesting a moment of shared enjoyment and communal festivity. The composition conveys warmth and conviviality, reflecting the title’s notion of older songs influencing younger voices.
Technique & Style
Bolswert employed fine cross‑hatching to model forms and suggest texture, creating a nuanced play of light and shadow across the figures and objects. The meticulous line work imparts depth and a subtle drama typical of Baroque visual language, while the use of laid paper adds a tactile quality to the print.
History & Provenance
Active in the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens, Bolswert was a principal reproductive engraver, producing prints after Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. This work exemplifies his role in disseminating the compositions of prominent artists throughout Europe during the early seventeenth century, contributing to the broader circulation of Baroque imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Schelte a Bolswert or Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert (c. 1586 – 1659) was a Frisian engraver who worked most of his career in Antwerp where he was one of the lead engravers in Rubens' workshop. He is known for his…
