David Teniers II frequently depicted barber-surgeons, tooth-drawers, alchemists, and quacksalvers throughout his career. One of the earliest examples of such subjects is a 1636 painting of a village surgeon, now housed in the Szépművészeti Museum, Budapest (inv. no. 565). The work portrays a humble interior filled with curious vessels and instruments. An owl—then a contemporary symbol of human blindness and folly—watches over the scene, reminding viewers of the satirical undertone characteristic of these compositions.

In the present work, the quack is shown outdoors, standing on a platform brandishing a piece of white fabric. Behind him, a table holds various vessels and peculiar red tablets, likely the dubious remedies he promotes with his theatrical gestures. A second figure, peering from behind a curtain, may represent the quack’s assistant or perhaps a moralizing observer, drawing attention to the deceptive nature of the charlatan’s trade.

We are grateful to Dr. Margaret Klinge for endorsing the attribution on the basis of photographs, and for her assistance cataloging this lot (private communication, December 2025).