Jan Jacobsz. Molenaer, Dutch 1654-c.1684/90- Interior scenes with figures drinking, embracing, and making music in a tavern; oils on panel, the first signed 'Jan Molenaer' (lower right), the second faintly signed 'Jan Molenaer' (lower right), each bears old hand-written label inscribed 'Jan Molenaer' verso, the second bears wax collector's stamp verso, each 32 x 23.9 cm., a pair (2). Provenance: Property from a European Private Collection. Note: The present work is typical of Molenaer's tavern scenes, depicting figures seated around a table in a dark interior, in which the glint of glasses and jugs are just visible. Each of these scenes appears to depict a man attempting to embrace a reluctant female figure, watched by curious, and perhaps somewhat shocked, onlookers, one of whom seems to play a flute towards the background. The artist produced a number of similar compositions, such as one which sold at Sotheby's, Amsterdam, on 2 November 2002 (lot 8, €5,000). Molenaer's works reveal the influence of an earlier generation of Dutch painters, such as Adriaen Brouwer (1605/6-1638) and David Teniers (1610-1690).