' The Old Drinker ' Gabriel Metsu ( Dutch 1629- 1667 ) Oil on panel Circa 1658

On this miniscule panel , ( measuring just 22 x 19.5cm ) Gabriel Metsu painted with minute detail this this everyday scene of an old man with his Gouda pipe and pewter jar leaning against a beer barrel . The old drinker looks rather the worse for wear , he sags rather than sits on the chair as he peers through his watery eyes , his chin unshaven , his collar open and his hat askew . Metsu presents the man with a direct honesty that is not in fact harsh ; the smile and the friendly eyes of the old drinker lend a sympathetic quality . Metsu shows the details of the drinkers surroundings with great finesse . The pewter mug , the felt buttoned coat , the fur trimming on the cap and the German stoneware pitcher . . Beside the pitcher is a slate on which the number of beers is chalked up . The sign of a red deer is painted on the keg , a rather vague detail against a brown background . This was the trademark of the Amsterdam brewery 'Roo Hart' ( Red Deer ) Around 1650 , Metsu lived on Prinsengracht , near this brewery . The deer is a subtle aside in which the painter has quietly advertised his neighbours business .