The Last Drop (The Gay Cavalier) My piece of choice is The Last Drop by Judith Leyster. What intrigued me most about this painting was the lingering and threatening feel I received, (while only glancing at the painting passing by!) which is what forced me to pay closer attention to the Baroque styled painting of the seventeenth century. As I leaned in closer, (and began to really take notice of the paintings attributes), I realized that the deep rich oil shading wasn’t the only thing giving me the creeps – but the skeleton hanging above the two subjects of the painting. This painting seems to epitomize the popular baroque era Vanitas still life theme, incorporated in portraiture. Although painted in 1639, it is now hanging up in plain sight at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It amazed me to sit there and think about the possibilities behind the motives of the painting (or the storyline behind the observing skeleton) which is why I decided to study this painting and learn more about the painter and subject from observation and research.
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It is enriched in deep contrasting oil colors such as deep reds, greens, blues, and flesh-tones. There is an almost forced focus with the obvious use of dark and lights (the cavalier is extremely highlighted while his companion is deeply shadowed). From observation, it seems to be your very typical Baroque painting from the seventeen hundredths where colors were dramatically exaggerated to provoke emotion and express passion in extremely contrasting styles, but it also incorporates symbolism, (much like Vanitas still life). There is a distinct distance between the two figures, in which a skeleton is observing the two men. Not only does the skeleton linger above the drinking men, he is also holding, what seems to be, another skull in his hands and an hourglass in the other. According to the description given to us by
It is enriched in deep contrasting oil colors such as deep reds, greens, blues, and flesh-tones. There is an almost forced focus with the obvious use of dark and lights (the cavalier is extremely highlighted while his companion is deeply shadowed). From observation, it seems to be your very typical Baroque painting from the seventeen hundredths where colors were dramatically exaggerated to provoke emotion and express passion in extremely contrasting styles, but it also incorporates symbolism, (much like Vanitas still life). There is a distinct distance between the two figures, in which a skeleton is observing the two men. Not only does the skeleton linger above the drinking men, he is also holding, what seems to be, another skull in his hands and an hourglass in the other. According to the description given to us by