Wie nog kon lopen ging heen, wie dat niet meer kon, viel om - Cornelis Troost

A lively genre scene by Cornelis Troost depicting the humorous aftermath of a night out in eighteenth-century Amsterdam, rendered in ink and wash.

This work by Cornelis Troost captures a chaotic night scene in eighteenth-century Amsterdam. The title, which translates to 'Whoever could still walk went away, whoever could no longer do so, fell over', provides a humorous commentary on the aftermath of a social gathering. Troost, often referred to as the Dutch Hogarth, specialised in these observational scenes that document the social habits and occasional excesses of his contemporaries.

The composition is organised around a carriage being loaded with inebriated figures. To the left, a group of men struggle to assist their companions, while others lean against the architecture of a canal house. The artist employs a fluid, calligraphic line to define the figures, using grey wash to establish the nocturnal atmosphere and the depth of the street. The scene is lit by lanterns, which cast long shadows and create a sense of movement across the paper.

Troost was a master of the theatrical, and this drawing functions much like a stage set. The figures are rendered with a sense of caricature, focusing on the physical comedy of their intoxication. The architectural elements, including the stoop of the house and the distant silhouette of a church tower, ground the scene in the specific geography of Amsterdam. This drawing is a study for a larger composition, demonstrating the artist's process in balancing narrative detail with the spontaneity of ink work. It offers a glimpse into the private lives of the Dutch bourgeoisie, moving away from the formal portraiture of the era to focus on the unscripted moments of urban life.