Emblematic Still Life with Flagon, Glass, Jug and Bridle

1614

A pewter flagon, a wine glass, an earthenware water jar, a little piece of paper with two music staves and a didactic inscription, above which hangs a bridle or a rein – these are explicit exhortations to moderation. Wine must be cut with water; passions must be bridled. This strict message contrasts sharply with the reputation of the artist, who was repeatedly accused of being a whoremonger and a heretic.