Merry Company, by Honthorst (1625)

Merry Company, by Honthorst (1625)

Honthorst, Gerrit van (1592-1656)

1625

Scene inspired by the tradition of the prodigal son. Caravaggio influences.

"Honthorst's genre painting relates to the subject portrayed by his fellow Utrecht Caravaggisti. It depicts a provocative scene of a wanton student (the prodigal son?) in the company of two prostitutes and a procuress carrying an infant. The pages of an immense open folio on the table are brilliantly illuminated by candle-light as is the semi-nude torso of the theorbo-playing prostitute. One of the pages illustrates an older man and a nude child, most likely Cupid, beating a woman who holds a large book. The opposite page shows a Latin poem." (Description from the Web Gallery of Art, https://www.wga.hu/html_m/h/honthors/2/03prodig.html, Archived in: https://web.archive.org/web/20200605160008/https://www.wga.hu/html_m/h/honthors/2/03prodig.html)

Other title: Der liederliche Student

Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Alte Pinakothek München, Germany
https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artwork/wq4jXaELWo 

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210610192218/https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artwork/wq4jXaELWo/gerard-van-honthorst/der-liederliche-student

Inventory number: 391

Found in the Web Gallery of Art:
http://www.wga.hu/html_m/h/honthors/2/03prodig.html

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200605160008/https://www.wga.hu/html_m/h/honthors/2/03prodig.html

Oil on canvas.
Dimensions: 125 × 156 cm