lmaish
A Game of Tric-Trac
Judith Leyster. Dutch, 1609-1660. "One of the few women painters of Holland's golden age. Judith Leyster was remarkable for her time. She was the only female member of the painters' guild known to have had a workshop, and the only woman painter whose attests to an active role in the art market. Two men and a woman have gathered around a tric-trac, or backgammon board. The woman smilingly offers a pipe to her opponent. The Dutch slang phrase "to pipe" had a sexual connotation then as now. As he reaches for his playing piece, the young man looks out as if to invite our involvement. Leyster uses a single lamp and darkened background to concentrate on the relationship of the players. There may be another game at play here; the scene is perhaps a brothel. The game of tric-trac stood for the dangers of idleness.
A Game of Tric-Trac
Judith Leyster. Dutch, 1609-1660. "One of the few women painters of Holland's golden age. Judith Leyster was remarkable for her time. She was the only female member of the painters' guild known to have had a workshop, and the only woman painter whose attests to an active role in the art market. Two men and a woman have gathered around a tric-trac, or backgammon board. The woman smilingly offers a pipe to her opponent. The Dutch slang phrase "to pipe" had a sexual connotation then as now. As he reaches for his playing piece, the young man looks out as if to invite our involvement. Leyster uses a single lamp and darkened background to concentrate on the relationship of the players. There may be another game at play here; the scene is perhaps a brothel. The game of tric-trac stood for the dangers of idleness.