Peeckelhaeringh

Peeckelhaeringh, also known as Pekelharing, originally referred to pickled herring in Dutch. However, today it is more renowned as the name of a jester featured in a painting by Frans Hals. This jester, Mr. Peeckelhaering, was a popular figure in 17th-century comic plays and was later immortalized in an engraving by Jonas Suyderhoef, which also included a poem extolling his love for beer.

In 1910, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot documented the painting, describing a cheerful man holding a mug with an open lid. Interestingly, the painting was once owned by the Leiden painter Jan Steen, who cleverly included it in the background of some of his own works, such as "The Doctor's Visit" and "As the Old Sing, So the Young Pipe." The latter painting draws inspiration from a well-known proverb by Jacob Cats, which speaks to how young birds mimic the sounds of their parents.

Over the years, Peeckelhaeringh's painting has appeared in various inventories and collections, underscoring its enduring appeal and significance in the realm of art history.