This scene shows a group of people at a dinner table. The white tablecloth and the presence of a lute player, in conjunction with their elaborate clothing, indicate that the celebrants are people of the upper middle class, not peasants. The presence of only one woman, in the company of men, suggests that she might be a courtesan. The man on her right is emptying a glass of wine, and this gesture suggests the vice of overindulgence. However, the artist respects good taste by giving the people in this scene facial expressions that are serious and dignified. The artist’s technical mastery is seen in the realism of the faces, the texture of the surfaces, and the play of intense light.
