The artwork “Tavern scene with maid trying to fill the glass of a cavalier (The Empty Glass)” was created by Pieter de Hooch around 1652. This oil painting on a panel, representative of the Baroque art movement, measures 46 by 37 cm and is a genre painting. The piece is housed in the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
In the artwork, a maid is depicted attempting to pour a drink into the empty glass of a cavalier. The scene is set within a tavern, with rich, warm tones that evoke the intimate and lively atmosphere of such an establishment. The cavalier, elegantly dressed with a feathered hat, sits in a relaxed posture, his body language and facial expression suggesting a state of inebriation or revelry. The maid, wearing traditional 17th-century attire, leans towards him with a gentle smile, her body indicating the effort to fill his glass. In the background, other patrons of the tavern can be seen engaging and mingling, further adding to the bustling ambiance of the setting. The careful use of light and shadow, and the meticulous attention to detail, are characteristic of Pieter de Hooch’s refined Baroque style.
