Jacob Duck

Jacob Duck painted soldiers off duty: guardrooms where men play cards, drink, doze and divide their loot, often with women and servants among them. His scenes are small, detailed and lively, with good light effects and plenty of shining armour, cloth and wood.

He was born in Utrecht around 1600 and trained first as a goldsmith before taking up painting in the early 1620s. He worked mostly in Utrecht, with spells in Haarlem and The Hague, and was buried in Utrecht in 1667. His paintings are in major collections including the Hermitage in St Petersburg.

Guardroom with Soldiers Playing Cards and Dividing the Spoils are typical. Look at the armour and weapons piled in corners and the play of light across the room.