A peasant

The artist known as the 'Master of the Large Jars' was originally named by Gerard Knuttel in his book on Adriaen Brouwer (see pp. 29, 31, 176-78). He appears to have been a Dutch follower of Brouwer, but has a distinct character of his own, owing both to the boldness of his technique and the geometric stylization of his forms. Other versions of the present composition, with a second figure added, were sold at Christie's London (15-16 December 1983, lot 53, as 'Circle of Adriaen Brouwer') and Christie's South Kensington (7 December 1995, lot 174, as 'Manner of Cornelis Bega').