The Last Drop

The Last Drop is a c. 1639 oil painting by Judith Leyster in the John G. Johnson collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.It was considered a work of art by Frans Hals until 1903, when it was noticed that it is signed 'JL*' on the tankard. In reference to the skeleton and the party scene in The Last Drop, one underlying meaning for this art piece focuses on the loss of self-respect and dissipated state of drunkenness. Both men appear to be unconcerned about the actions they are committing as the skeleton is in their presence. The skeleton's facial expression and stance show that it is enjoying itself just as much as the drunken men. Skeletons were familiar figures in seventeenth-century art, representing the unavoidable nature of death. The figures of the two men appear to be similar to the figures in the scene of the Merry Trio, also painted by Judith Leyster in 1629. The Merry Trio and The Last Drop accompany each other representing night and day. Merry Trio illustrates the first stage of drinking, typically in the evening as the sun is setting. The Last Drop is the later stage of the party after drinking has continued; it is now dark and then men are blinded by the effects of drink. The night scene is represented by the use of the candle between the men and the skeleton. At this point in the night, both men are very drunk and unaware of the skeleton among them. In the Philadelphia Museum of Art online catalog for The Last Drop, the artwork is described as a scene of vastenavond. Vastenavond is also known as Shrove Tuesday. This is an annual celebration honored by Christian denominations. This celebration occurs in the seventh week before Easter and the day before Ash Wednesday. The catalog explains that The Last Drop as a representation of young men binging on alcohol before the fasting and restraining of the consumption of alcohol of Lent, based on the actions the individuals are performing and the items they are holding. The skeleton is a representation of the consequences of their overindulgence. The figure of death holds both a skull and an hourglass in front of the men, yet they are unaware due to their mental state