Fig. 1: Theodor Rombouts, The Card Players, 17th cent., Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Collection KMSKA-Flemish Community. (IMAGE)

University of Vienna

Fig. 1: Theodor Rombouts, The Card Players, 17th cent., Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Collection KMSKA-Flemish Community.

Caption

Fig. 1: Theodor Rombouts, The Card Players, 17th cent., Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Collection KMSKA-Flemish Community.

In this painting, the figure seated on the right points at the card-player while laughing, a gesture that underscores his mockery of the young man’s naïveté. The more experienced player, together with the old man on the left, may be acting as accomplices, potentially exchanging covert signals to reveal the young player’s cards. Scenes involving deceit and cheating in games of chance were frequent motifs in early modern paintings.

Credit

Theodoor Rombouts, The Card Players, inv.no. 358, photo: Hugo Maertens, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp - Collection Flemish Community (public domain)

Usage Restrictions

Credit must be given to the creator.

License

CC BY

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