1905 Five Senses: Touch by Jan Miense Molenaer Vintage Art Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

The rowdy humor of the Dutch Golden Age is brilliantly captured in this monochrome art reproduction of "Touch" (Het Gevoel), from the "Five Senses" series by Jan Miense Molenaer. The scene depicts a boisterous tavern interior where a woman playfully prepares to strike a man with her slipper, while a third figure watches with a mischievous grin. Molenaer was a master of genre painting, known for his ability to depict the everyday lives and foibles of 17th-century commoners with a keen sense of irony. This postcard illustrates the coarse realism and dynamic expressions that defined Dutch domestic art, highlighting the physical sensation of touch through a lively social conflict. It serves as a striking visual record of the era's fascination with moralizing through comic scenes of peasant life.

Details

Era: Divided Back (circa 1905–1910)
City: The Hague ('s Gravenhage)
State or Region: South Holland
Country: Netherlands
Topic: Jan Miense Molenaer, Dutch Golden Age Art, The Five Senses, Mauritshuis Museum, Tavern Scenes, Genre Painting
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Jan Miense Molenaer (1610–1668)
Publisher: Felix P. Abrahamson, Amsterdam (No. 1245)
Printer: Unknown
Print Type: Collotype (Phototypie)

Additional Information

This postcard was published by Felix P. Abrahamson of Amsterdam, a well-known Dutch publisher of museum and art series. The manufacturing date is narrowed to circa 1905–1910, reflecting the peak production period for Abrahamson's Mauritshuis collection and the early use of divided back cards in the Netherlands. The original painting is part of the world-renowned collection at the Mauritshuis in The Hague. Jan Miense Molenaer often used himself and his family members as models for his character-rich scenes; he was married to the famous female painter Judith Leyster. The back of the card features the title in four languages (Dutch, French, English, and German), catering to the international tourists visiting the museum during the Golden Age of postcards.

This postcard would look great framed or make an excellent addition to any collection.

Love it ♡
Get it ☆
Get Lucky 💋 Vintage