# The Fête champêtre

- By: Dirck Hals (Haarlem, 1591–1656)
- Date: 1627
- Medium: panel, oil paint (paint)
- Classification: painting
- Dimensions: support: height 77.6 cm x width 135.7 cm
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/SK-A-1796--d170fe4812ca921948f4535112b57881)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/GzjAh/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The 17th-century public would have delighted in this amusing spectacle. At the same time, viewers would have been aware of its hidden message: there is more to life on earth than eating, drinking and merrymaking. A telling detail is the chained monkey: it stands for sinful man, who allows himself to be fettered by his base instincts.