Cornelis Dusart

Cornelis Dusart painted Dutch village life in the tradition of his teacher Adriaen van Ostade: taverns, fairs, peasants drinking and dancing, and rustic characters, with warm colour and a cheerful, humorous tone.

He was born in Haarlem in 1660 and studied with Van Ostade in the late 1670s, joining the Haarlem painters’ guild in 1679. He worked as a painter, draughtsman and printmaker, and was known for highly finished drawings in coloured chalk and watercolour. He spent his whole life in Haarlem and died there in 1704.

Tavern Scene and Village Feast show his lively crowds. Look at the expressive faces and the small comic incidents around the edges.