Violin Player Seated in the Inn

This tavern scene has all the elements of a good time: music, merrymakers, and abundant alcohol. The seated man with raised arms holds a pole glass, meant for passing around among drinkers. A standing figure on the right draws our eye. Dressed in an elegant waistcoat, drink in hand, he observes with a note of amusement. His figure recalls Silenus, Bacchus’s teacher, who appears in numerous mythological scenes in this exhibition. Like Silenus, he encourages viewers to consider wine’s impact on those without self-control. The Latin verses describe the “rustics” depicted, drawing a comparison between their behavior and the viewer, who was assumed to be of a higher social class.