The Last Drop by Judith Leyster (Interpretation and Analysis)

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The Last Drop by Judith Leyster
The Last Drop
Source: Google Cultural Institute
I saw this painting on the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Instagram account recently, and I thought it would be a fun piece of art to discuss today.

This painting, entitled The Last Drop, was created by Judith Leyster, one of the most famous female artists of the Dutch golden age. As I mentioned in my last post, the Dutch Golden Age was a period of great prosperity in the Netherlands that is associated with an explosion of artistic production. Paintings from this period often depict domestic scenes and scenes of everyday life. Leyster in particular is famous for her genre paintings, pieces of art that focus on everyday life.

Although Leyster’s style doesn’t have strong appeal to me personally, her paintings are prime examples of the Golden Age style. The Last Drop portrays two merrymakers, busily drinking and smoking themselves into a state of deep intoxication. Tavern scenes are common among genre paintings; in general, they can be interpreted as a celebration of the good things in life, an homage to fun.

The Last Drop, however, has a twist. Although the two men are the primary subject of the painting, the most interesting part of the piece is a skeleton that stands behind them. The skeleton is a memento mori, a common motif in Western art. As the name suggests, a memento mori is a reminder of mortality, signifying the eventual death that comes to everyone. The inclusion of the skeleton in this scene is a clear message that, although these men are enjoying themselves now, they will soon pay for their indulgence in death. The skeleton holds an hourglass, a sign that time is ticking. Although, on its face, the title is an allusion to the alcohol the men are consuming; it has a double meaning, referencing the time that is slowly slipping away.

At its core, The Last Drop is a moralistic scene, a sober reminder that drunken revelry comes with strings attached.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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