Artwork

Hurdy-Gurdy Player in a Tall Hat

Hurdy-Gurdy Player in a Tall Hat, by Adriaen van Ostade, ink, 1647
Hurdy-Gurdy Player in a Tall Hat, by Adriaen van Ostade, ink, 1647

Hurdy-Gurdy Player in a Tall Hat is an ink print by the Baroque artist Adriaen van Ostade. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Hurdy-Gurdy Player in a Tall Hat is an etching created by Adriaen van Ostade in 1647. The work is executed on laid paper and combines etching with touches of drypoint.

Subject & Meaning

The etching depicts a man in a tall hat and cloak, with his arms crossed and gazing downward. The scene is characteristic of van Ostade's genre scenes, which focus on everyday life and ordinary figures.

Technique & Style

The artist's use of lines and shading creates texture and depth, particularly in the folds of the man's clothing. Intricate details, such as the feathers on his hat and buttons on his cloak, are also rendered through skilled use of etching and drypoint techniques.

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: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.