Festive Peasants, Soldiers, and Harlots

Unknown artist

While a soldier is amorously engaged, a peasant pinches his jug of beer. Meanwhile a harlot robs the peasant of his money, unaware that a soldier is cheating by looking at her hand of cards. Vinckboons made the drawing on the eve of the Twelve Year Truce (1609-1621) marking the cease-fire between Spain and the Northern Netherlands. In the seeming reconciliation, he perceives the seeds of new conflicts in the future.