Der Besuch

What would the constellation of people look like if the artist had painted this in 2023? Perhaps the figure in the middle would be a man, while a woman enters confidently to court him. Or it would all be women. Or the gender identity of all involved would be completely irrelevant. Moreover, the two main characters would probably meet in a bar ('Hey, are you my Tinder date?') and might go about it unaccompanied. Be that as it may, we are writing c. 1660 and Gerard ter Borch, a master of genre painting, portrays a traditional date of the time in the chiaroscuro typical of his style. The main figure in the centre dominates the room with her golden, splendid dress; turned to the left, she greets her counterpart, who has just entered. The two communicate through gestures, facial expressions and glances; we as viewers immediately grasp the situation and the role of the supporting parties. At a Dutch wedding in the 17th century, the average age of the bride was about 23 and of the groom 25. The concept of the romantic love marriage not yet fully developed, many were nevertheless allowed to choose their own partners, although sometimes the decision was influenced by their parents in favour of money and business matters. Whether our two sweethearts chose themselves is left to the imagination of the beholder. Source