Rokende boer met pijp - Matthijs Pool

A Dutch Golden Age etching depicting a smoking peasant, accompanied by a moralising Latin inscription on the transience of worldly glory.

This etching by Matthijs Pool depicts a seated peasant smoking a pipe, a common subject in Dutch genre art of the period. The figure is framed within an oval cartouche, a device frequently used in printmaking to create a sense of depth and focus. The Latin inscription 'Gloria Mundi, Fumus' (The glory of the world is smoke) provides a moralising context, suggesting the transience of worldly ambition and material success. The peasant, dressed in humble attire, sits in a relaxed posture, his pipe emitting a thin wisp of smoke that drifts towards the top of the frame.

Technically, the work demonstrates the precision of Dutch engraving. The artist employs varied line weights to define the textures of the peasant's clothing, the wooden chair, and the stone wall background. The shading within the oval creates a contrast between the illuminated figure and the darker interior space. Below the image, a Dutch verse reinforces the vanitas theme, comparing the fleeting nature of smoke to the status of kings and the state of war.

Matthijs Pool was an active engraver in Amsterdam during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. His work often involved reproducing paintings by other artists or creating original prints that engaged with contemporary social and philosophical themes. This particular piece reflects the Dutch interest in moral instruction through everyday scenes. The composition is balanced and deliberate, using the oval frame to isolate the subject from the surrounding architectural elements. The print serves as a visual meditation on the brevity of life, a recurring motif in the art of the Netherlands during this era.