As the Old Sang, So the Young Pipe (Jordaens, Antwerp)

He painted several works with this title, a Dutch proverb – this is the earliest of them, whilst another is now in Valenciennes.

The painting is an expression of the age-old Dutch proverb 'Soo d'oude song soo pepen de jong'.

The baby blows on the whistle of his rattle and his big brother plays a recorder.

In the old man one recognizes Adam van Noort, tutor and father in law of the painter.

Jordaens drew various studies by Van Noort, making it easy to identify.