Monday 16th March 2026

The Art of Laughter
by Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff
 

Seldom did one country produce so many comical paintings as the Netherlands did during the Dutch Golden Age.

People and animals misbehaving, being silly, naughty and laughing out loud can be seen in unprecedented numbers on Dutch Baroque genre paintings. Some of these paintings were visual representations of common sayings or depictions of stock characters in contemporary plays, while others were created as moral lessons. However, the fashion for these type of paintings also coincided with a belief by contemporary doctors that laughing was good for your health, and a boom in the publications of books with jokes and funny poems.

Foreigners visiting the Netherlands during the 17th century commented on the Dutch being "clownish", "full of humour, funny and naughty (sometimes too much)". Time for us to enjoy some of these Dutch Baroque paintings for what they are: funny! Join us as we spot people playing a trick on each other, girls falling asleep on the job, children being children, girls completely love sick, unexpected hidden scenes of bare bottoms, people partying and having fun, dogs peeing in churches and more!

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Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff

Mariska has a BA and MA in Art History, majoring in The Dutch Baroque Arts from the 17th century at the Courtauld. She runs her own company - Art Historical London offering art historical lectures, museum visits, courses, tours, travel and events from Amsterdam, London and New York.  

Mariska also teaches at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, for Roundtable, the Timken Museum and the New York Adventure Club in the States, for Academy Travel and the Art Academy in Sydney, and for a number of institutions in the Netherlands.