Adriaen Brouwer was one of the most expressive artists of the 17th century. His great contribution to genre painting was to give a face to the peasant, to infuse his images of these lower-class individuals with recognizable and vividly expressed human emotions—anger, joy, pain, and pleasure. Even the satirical and mocking gesture of Youth Making a Face is that of a real person, however uninviting he may be. Brouwer's vigorous handling of paint, with his characteristically short, unmodulated brushstrokes, heightens this small painting's dramatic impact.
The uncouth youth in this painting confronts us with a recognizable yet thoroughly unexpected gesture. Packed with an energy that far exceeds its scale, Brouwer's unidealized depiction of this Flemish rustic is an excellent example of 17th-century realism. Yet, as evident in the youth's aggressive gesture, this slice-of-life image also offers a visual critique of rural behavior and mores. Brouwer's unsentimental view of the peasant is rooted in a long tradition of urban disdain for rural life. The physiognomy, humor, and moralizing tenor of Brouwer's peasants all derive from the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/1530–1569), who depicted the excessive behavior of peasants at their village kermesses (fairs), weddings, and dances as moral warnings to city viewers. As with Bruegel, Brouwer's scenes of fighting, drinking, and sleeping warn about the consequences of gluttony and wrath (ira), intemperance (gula), and sloth (desidia). Indeed, Brouwer used the peasant's proverbial uncouthness to create comic images both to delight the viewers and instruct them about proper behavior.
The mocking gesture could well be witnessed in any 17th-century tavern, but its tradition reaches back to depictions of Christ appearing before Pilate: "...the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him" (Luke 22:63). The youth's unkempt hair, chin stubble, and knife stuck through his fur hat aim to elicit a surprised, if not horrified, response from the viewer. With Youth Making a Face, Brouwer created an image that exposes human folly and forces the viewer, regardless of status, to confront a threatening and mocking world. Brouwer does not pretend to help us with this world; he only warns us of its existence and the fact that its disquieting face can appear at unexpected times. The youth's gesture also reminds us, whether through our laughter or outrage, of the all-too-human nature of his character.
Although the broad outlines of Brower's life are well established, surprisingly little is known about his activities beyond his membership in rhetoricians' chambers (literary and dramatic societies) in Haarlem and Antwerp. Seventeenth- and 18th-century critics greatly praised his work, particularly its humor and truthfulness to nature. Despite Brouwer's reputation as a "learned painter," his keen observation and biting wit suggest that he actually cultivated a "vulgar painter" persona, and numerous anecdotes indicate that he led a colorful existence. Only about 60 of Brouwer's paintings are known; almost all are scenes of peasants in taverns or hovels.