The Amorous Couple

In his paintings and some 35 etchings, Cornelis Bega focused his somewhat jaundiced eye on peasants and low-life tavern scenes. Here, he presents us with a well-oiled couple who have settled in on some crude tavern furniture. They have enjoyed a smoke and are half way through a bottle. The man's hat is pulled down too far for us to see his eyes, but beneath his bulbous nose, a strong chin projects well past a mouth that seems to lack teeth. His left arm is draped around the ample woman's shoulder, and his right hand grasps her breast. She seems to enjoy—or at least tolerate—the attention. Perhaps she is used to such advances, for her fur cap, pearl earring, and dainty if precarious hold on her glass suggest that she is a professional. In both quality of impression and state of preservation, this etching is a small miracle. In the 20th century it passed through a series of extraordinary collections and was repeatedly noted for its remarkable quality.