Playing Cards

Karel Frans Philippeau 1825 - 1897

Summary

An Italian family is engrossed in a game of cards around a sturdy table, which occupies a romantic position on a shady terrace with a beautiful mountain view. A fine building can be seen on the cliff behind their own rustic house, whose steps lead to the terrace. The father is on the left with cards in his hand, the mother on the right with a small child in her arms. Another woman is on the far side of the table, while the young woman with her back to the viewer may be an older daughter. Drawing on his native artistic tradition, the Dutch artist shows his skill at painting diverse objects, such as a shiny earthenware pot, a tambourine, a glass bottle, a rough wooden crate and the different fabrics of the charming costumes. Italian workers in traditional costume, especially woman and children in picturesque hilltop settings, were a common theme in Philippeau's work, which often included detailed still life objects.