A Company of Six People
Gesina ter Borch rapidly sketched this scene on the back of an old receipt. In this preliminary study for an illustration to a drinking song in the Poëzie-album (Poetry Album) we see a lively group of men as well as women smoking and drinking. The song encourages people to ‘be merry,’ but the man making advances on the left is also urged to exercise self-control: ‘kreuckt haer neusdoeck niet’ (do not crumple her handkerchief). The lady’s handkerchief is as yet intact.