Roker zittend aan een tafel - Gesina ter Borch

A delicate watercolour and ink illustration from the personal album of Gesina ter Borch, depicting a smoker at a table alongside a handwritten poem.

This work by Gesina ter Borch originates from her personal album, a collection of drawings, poems, and songs that offer a window into the domestic life and cultural interests of a seventeenth-century Dutch woman. The image depicts a solitary figure, a smoker, seated at a simple wooden table. The composition is modest, focusing on the quiet activity of the subject as he enjoys a pipe, accompanied by a small jug placed on the floor beside him. The figure is rendered with delicate ink lines and soft watercolour washes, characteristic of ter Borch's illustrative style.

Surrounding the illustration is a handwritten poem in Dutch, titled 'Een Testament van een drinckert' (A Testament of a Drinker). The text, written in a refined cursive hand, complements the visual scene, blending literary expression with artistic observation. Ter Borch was a member of a prominent artistic family in Zwolle, and her work often reflects the social customs and pastimes of her era. Unlike the large-scale oil paintings produced by her brother, Gerard ter Borch, her drawings possess an intimate, private quality. They were not intended for public exhibition but rather for the enjoyment of her family and social circle. This piece provides a clear example of how amateur artists of the period engaged with contemporary themes, such as the popularity of tobacco and the social rituals of drinking, through a combination of verse and illustration. The preservation of this album allows for a rare look at the creative output of a woman artist during the Dutch Golden Age, capturing the intersection of daily life and artistic practice in a domestic setting.