Artwork
Taste
Taste is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jan Pietersz Saenredam. It dates from 1595 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jan Pietersz.
About this work
Overview
Jan Pietersz. Saenredam’s print *Taste*, executed in engraving on laid paper around 1595, belongs to the Northern Mannerist period. The work presents a modest interior scene—a plain wall, a solitary chair, and a table set with four dishes of food—yet it is titled after one of the five traditional senses, suggesting an allegorical intent.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates objects associated with eating—bread, cheese, a knife, and a spoon—without any human presence. By omitting a figure, Saenredam invites the viewer to contemplate the sense of taste itself, turning ordinary utensils into symbols of sensory perception within an allegorical framework.
Technique & Style
Saenredam employs the precise line work characteristic of Northern Mannerist engraving. Sharp, clean outlines define the forms, while cross‑hatching builds tonal depth and shadow. The restrained palette of black ink on laid paper emphasizes the graphic clarity of the scene.
History & Provenance
Saenredam, known for both engraving and cartographic work, frequently drew on classical and biblical subjects. *Taste* is part of a series of sensory allegories produced in the late sixteenth century, reflecting the period’s fascination with personifying abstract concepts through visual means.
Context
The print reflects the broader Mannerist interest in intellectual allegory, where everyday objects serve as vehicles for moral or philosophical ideas. In the Dutch Republic, such prints circulated among educated collectors who appreciated the blend of technical skill and learned symbolism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Pieterszoon (abbr. Pietersz.) Saenredam (c. 1565 – 6 April 1607) was a Dutch Northern Mannerist painter, printmaker in engraving, and cartographer, and father of the painter of church interiors, Pieter Jansz…
