Purchase a giclee of Merry Company, Isack Elyas, 1629

A merry group of revellers are seated around a covered table and drink, talk, sing or make music. Several of the figures look out at the viewer. The elegant pair on the far right appear to have been set somewhat apart from the rest, and on that evidence De Jongh has suggested that they are the portraits of an engaged couple.2 There are quite a few 17th-century paintings in which genre-like scenes seem to have been combined with portraits. Jan Miense Molenaer, for instance, regularly placed a distinguished pair off to one side of the main scene, looking on. Sometimes these are portraits, sometimes not. That the two people on the right of Elyas’s painting are not married but betrothed is clear from their relative positions, the man being on the heraldic left and the woman on the heraldic right.3 These positions are usually reversed in portraits of married couples. It is likely that the other figures, who are engaged in a variety of actions, symbolize the five senses. The lutenist probably represents Hearing, the man singing on the left with a text in his hand stands for Sight, the man holding a glass upside down Taste, the young man standing with a hat in one hand and a glass in the other Feeling, and the woman with a dog on her lap Smell.4 There is a long tradition of depictions of the five senses, which were usually represented by stock personifications and attributes in the 16th century, but in the 17th century could be symbolized in a variety of ways. That is one reason why it is often difficult to realize that the figures personify the senses. In addition, they were increasingly shown in contemporary dress and settings, as is the case here.5 Scenes of the five senses were often moralistic and admonitory. The paintings hanging on the walls behind this merry company indicate that this might be the case here, for The Flood and The Battle between the Israelites and the Moabites can be taken as warnings to the viewer, as well as to the elegant couple on the right against excessive sensual pleasures.6 Until now the date on Elyas’s panel was wrongly read as 1620, but examination under the microscope has shown that it is 1629. There are no other genre paintings by the artist, but the style and composition bear some resemblance to those of Willem Buytewech and Dirck Hals. It is possible that the composition of Buytewech’s Elegant Couples on a Terrace (SK-A-3038) may have served as a model.7 Based on the similarities between the present painting and Jan Miense Molenaer’s Allegory of Marital Fidelity,8 Weller has suggested that Elyas may have been Molenaer’s teacher.9 Although there is indeed a resemblance between the two paintings, the lack of comparable works makes it impossible to put Weller’s hypothesis to the test. Everhard Korthals Altes, 2007 See Bibliography and Rijksmuseum painting catalogues See Key to abbreviations and Acknowledgements This entry was published in J. Bikker (ed.), Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, I: Artists Born between 1570 and 1600, coll. cat. Amsterdam 2007, no. 69.

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Artist Biography

introduction

isaac elias, also known as isack elyas, was a dutch golden age painter who was active around 1629, likely in haarlem. he is known for his single signed work, merry company, held at the rijksmuseum. the painting is believed to represent the five senses, with the woman with the lapdog symbolizing smell, and the man with the piece of paper symbolizing hearing.

life and career

isaac elias was born in 1590 in the netherlands and died in 1630. little is known about his life and training, but it is believed that he was active in haarlem, a city known for its vibrant artistic community. during the dutch golden age, haarlem was a major center for the arts, and many notable painters, including frans hals and rembrandt van rijn, were active in the city.

artistic style and influences

isaac elias's painting style is characterized by its attention to detail and its use of chiaroscuro, a technique that involves the contrast between light and dark. his work is also notable for its naturalism and its emphasis on everyday life. these characteristics are typical of the dutch golden age painting style, which emphasized realism and detail.

notable works

isaac elias's most notable work is merry company, a painting that represents the five senses. the painting is a genre scene that depicts a group of people engaged in everyday activities. the woman with the lapdog symbolizes smell, while the man with the piece of paper symbolizes hearing. the painting is a fine example of isaac elias's attention to detail and his use of symbolism.

legacy

isaac elias's work is highly regarded by art historians and collectors. his painting merry company is considered one of the finest examples of dutch golden age painting. the rijksmuseum holds several of his works, including merry company. to learn more about isaac elias and his work, visit ArtsDot.com.

isaac elias was a dutch golden age painter who was active around 1629.
his most notable work is merry company, a painting that represents the five senses.
his painting style is characterized by its attention to detail and its use of chiaroscuro.
his work is notable for its naturalism and its emphasis on everyday life.
his legacy is highly regarded by art historians and collectors.

Merry Company, Isack Elyas, 1629

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