Jacob Ochtervelt - "The joyous feast"

Jacob Ochtervelt (1634–1682)
 
A joyous celebration with a couple drinking and making merry 
 
This painting is an absolute jewel. The intimate scene by Dutch Golden Age master Jacob Ochtervelt presents a finely dressed couple partaking in drink and quiet amusement, capturing the refined yet subtly moralistic tone characteristic of the artist’s genre paintings. Executed in oil on canvas, the work displays Ochtervelt’s hallmark sensitivity to light, texture, and social nuance. The composition draws the viewer into a peaceful interior where every detail, the play of fabric, the warmth of candlelight, the expressions of the figures, conveys both elegance and narrative intrigue.
 
This painting exemplifies Ochtervelt’s exceptional ability to elevate scenes of everyday life into works of moral and aesthetic contemplation, often inviting reflection on human behavior, manners, and relationships. The figure of the man may have been finished by a second hand.
 
Provenance
 
Formerly in the Collection of Mrs. Paul Klingenstein
Sold at Christie’s, New York, January 15, 1986, as Lot 118, titled Jacob Ochtervelt, A Couple Drinking and Making Merry
 
Measurements
 
The oil on canvas measures ca. 43.2 cm x 34.3 cm (17 x 13 1/2 inches)
 
Artist Biography
 
Jacob Ochtervelt was born in 1634 in Rotterdam, a prominent cultural and mercantile center in the Dutch Republic. He studied under notable painters such as Nicolaes Berchem and Ludolf de Jongh, which exposed him to both Italianate landscape traditions and the sophisticated interior scenes that would come to define his own work. By the mid-17th century, Ochtervelt had developed a highly personal style within the genre painting tradition, focusing on middle- and upper-class domestic interiors.
 
While Ochtervelt was a contemporary of Johannes Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, and Gerard ter Borch, his work is distinguished by its gentle psychological insight, masterful depiction of luxurious fabrics and textures, and his deft use of light to heighten both realism and emotional atmosphere. Unlike some of his peers, Ochtervelt often chose to depict moments of private interaction, courtship, music-making, or genteel leisure, set within carefully rendered interiors that subtly comment on manners and morals.
 
Though relatively overlooked in the centuries following his death in 1682, renewed scholarly interest in the 20th century has brought greater attention to his refined technique and narrative depth. Today, Ochtervelt’s works are represented in major collections, including the Louvre, Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, reaffirming his status as a key figure in the Dutch Golden Age of painting.
 
The attribution has been confirmed independently by two eminent art historians, both of them believe this to be a work by Van Ochtervelt. They also think that some parts of the male figure may have been painted or finished by a second hand. We would like to thank them for their help in cataloguing this lot.