Aertsen,Pieter – Market scene, around 1560 Oakwood, 91 x 112 cm Inv. 960 Kunsthistorisches Museum

The composition presents a bustling marketplace scene, rendered with meticulous detail and a palpable sense of everyday life. The foreground is dominated by two figures: an older woman and a man engaged in the sale of poultry. The woman, positioned on the left, wears a modest head covering and a dark-colored bodice over a white blouse. She holds a basket overflowing with eggs, her gaze directed towards the viewer with a somewhat stern expression. Beside her stands a man, dressed in simple working attire – a grey tunic and black cap – who is actively displaying live chickens held aloft and contained within an elaborate wire cage. His direct engagement with the observer establishes him as a focal point of the scene.
The artist has employed a sophisticated use of light and shadow to enhance the realism of the depiction. The man’s face, illuminated by a strong source from the left, is rendered with careful attention to texture and expression. Similarly, the chickens are painted with remarkable accuracy, capturing their plumage and lively movements.
Beyond these central figures, the background reveals further activity within the marketplace. Two women, dressed in more elaborate garments, walk towards the viewer on the right side of the canvas. They carry baskets, suggesting they are shoppers or perhaps vendors themselves. The architectural details of the buildings behind them – brickwork and what appears to be a partially visible archway – provide context for the setting as an urban environment.
The painting’s subtexts extend beyond a simple portrayal of commerce. The inclusion of both the older woman and the man, each representing different aspects of the marketplace economy, suggests a commentary on social roles and labor within the community. The abundance of food – eggs, chickens – hints at prosperity and plenty, while the direct gaze of the figures invites contemplation about human interaction and the dynamics of exchange. The overall impression is one of a thriving, self-sufficient society, captured with an almost anthropological precision. The meticulous rendering of details – from the texture of the fabrics to the individual feathers of the chickens – underscores the artist’s commitment to representing the tangible realities of daily life in this period.