A Man and a Woman in a Stableyard
- Artist: Pieter Quast
- Date: probably 1630s
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "A Man and a Woman in a Stableyard" painted by Pieter Quast. It's likely from the 1630s, created using oil on wood. The tone of this painting is quite theatrical and satirical, which was typical for Quast's style.
Take a look at the officer and his companion in the foreground - they're not just casually standing there, but actually humiliating the peasant by forcing him to handle their spurs. In fact, it wasn't uncommon for officers to demand that peasants accommodate them in various ways, especially when it came to their horses. You can see another figure tending to the officer's horse in the background.
Quast often poked fun at the pretentiousness of his subjects, and this painting is no exception. The officer's companion even goes so far as to push the peasant's head down, adding to the ridicule. It's a pretty interesting commentary on social class during that time period.
See it in person
A Man and a Woman in a Stableyard hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
