An Early 17th Century Engraving "The Card Game" by A. Voet After Cornelis De Vos, 1632

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A 17th century engraving entitled "The Card Game" by old master artist Alexander de Voet after a painting by Cornelis … Read more A 17th century engraving entitled "The Card Game" by old master artist Alexander de Voet after a painting by Cornelis de Vos, created in 1632. The painting by de Vos is in The National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden (Inv. #689, Cat. 1990, pg. 383). The engraving by Voet is a technical masterpiece, which is quite rare and infrequently seen in museum collections and is rarely for sale. It is in the collections of The British Museum, The Rijksmuseum and The National Galleries of Art, Washington, DC. Reference: Holstein 17 (only state)
This beautiful engraving is presented in a cream-colored mat, measuring 20" x 26". The sheet measures 13.5" x 16.5". The engraving is a very fine impression in very good condition. It is trimmed along the border on the upper and left sides and beneath the inscription below the image. It is laid down on an album leaf.
The engraving depicts two elegantly dressed gentlemen on the left awaiting the couple on the right to play their hand. The man is showing his hand to a woman. The scene is one of splendid exuberance. All of the players appear quite wealthy. They are seated at a long table set with a silver jug of wine, a wine glass, bread and butter or another spread. The handsome young man on the right shows his hand to an attractive young woman as their heads touch romantically. A young attendant stands behind the two men on the left, staring at their cards. The six-line poem in French below the image informs us that the man on the right is the prodigal son, who is squandering his worldly possessions in bad company; gambling, loose women and wine lead to perdition. Gambling was considered one of the seven cardinal sins in the 17th century, when the painting and this engraving were created. Even the dog seems to be concerned. See less