An Inn with Backgammon Players (1669)

Dated 1669, "An Inn with Backgammon Players" is an artwork by Egbert Van Heemskerck. Context for 1669: In Japan the Edo period began in 1603, and in China the Qing dynasty took power in 1644, both bringing new patrons and styles. The seventeenth century is the age of the Baroque, which favoured dramatic light, movement, and strong emotion in the work of painters in Italy, Spain, and Flanders. Figurative, a short history: Portraits, group scenes, studies of the nude, and pictures of daily life all belong to figurative art. Over the centuries, painters have used the figure to express social standing, narrative, and emotion. The catalogue places it in Figurative. The format is landscape.

On onlly.art "An Inn with Backgammon Players" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Figurative works draw attention to the human presence, the gesture, and the emotional tone, so they work particularly well as a standalone focal point in living rooms, studies, and bedrooms. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

Dutch, 1634–1704

If you like the visual language of Egbert Van Heemskerck, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.