Roker in bed, omringd door zijn kameraden - Gesina ter Borch

A 1653 watercolour by Gesina ter Borch from her personal album, depicting a social scene of smoking and drinking accompanied by moralising Dutch verse.

This work by Gesina ter Borch, dated 21 December 1653, originates from her personal album, a collection that offers a rare glimpse into the social life and domestic habits of the Dutch elite during the seventeenth century. The composition features a scene of indulgence, depicting a man smoking in bed while his companions gather around a table nearby. The figures are rendered with a light, illustrative touch, characteristic of Ter Borch's amateur yet highly observant style.

The drawing is accompanied by Dutch verse, written in a fluid, calligraphic hand that occupies the upper portion of the page. The text provides a moralising commentary on the vices of drinking and smoking, a common theme in the period. A large, swirling ink flourish sits between the text and the illustration, representing the smoke from the pipes, which serves to connect the written word with the visual narrative below.

Ter Borch, the sister of the painter Gerard ter Borch, was an accomplished draughtswoman. Her albums are preserved in the Rijksmuseum and provide valuable evidence of the cultural interests of women in the Dutch Republic. The figures are dressed in the fashion of the 1650s, with wide-brimmed hats and doublets, reflecting the specific sartorial trends of the era. The use of watercolour is restrained, applied to highlight the clothing and the furnishings of the room, while the ink lines define the forms with precision. This piece is a fine example of the intersection between literature and visual art in the private albums of the Dutch Golden Age, capturing a moment of leisure that is both humorous and cautionary.