Rijcke-Armoede (Rich Poverty)

• 1632
• Adriaen van de Venne, Dutch
• 15 x 19.5 in.
  Oil on panel
• Not on display
• Gift of Fisher Scientific International
• Fisher Collection
• FA 2000.001.284
• No known copyright restrictions

Description

A seated alchemist, wearing peasant garb and shoes stuffed with straw, is working with a mortar and pestle. The fire under a crucible illuminates his face. Behind him his wife holds out coins and is flanked by two children. In the right foreground is a distillation apparatus, a barrel, and other glassware.