Lot 476 N

The motif of card players gathered around a table was already a popular subject in European painting before Paul Cézanne's famous paintings. The subject had previously intrigued artists such as Georges de la Tour, David Teniers the Younger and Adriaen Brouwer. Subtle expressions of emotion in highly concentrated individuals, concealed activity, the interactions of the players - the depiction of a group playing cards offers diverse opportunities for meticulous studies of people.
Eberhard Viegener's card-playing farmers radiate a sense of down-to-earth calm that is characteristic of the images of people he made at that time. The reserved, earthy tonality underscores this atmosphere. Concentrated and self-possessed, the three players on the left and the onlooker in the right half of the picture devote their attention to the game; viewers can only guess at the emotions they feel in connection with it.