He was a non-conformist. A prison baker by trade, unlike Teniers he didn't paint by commission; he had no need, I guess, because he had another income.
I like this for its stupidity. The smoker's expression is obviously exaggerated, his hair is wild and he comically clutches a bottle of something, probably alcohol, as if someone were about to take it away from him. There is no attempt to be precious about the subject and therefore about art.
This lower picture is a more famous one by him. It's called 'The temptation of St Anthony'. I may have to come back on here about this one, there's so much going on, it's more a comic novel than a short story.
I think it's obvious that he has used himself as the model. Not only in the facial similarities to 'The Smoker' but in that his eyes are looking to where your eyes would look if you were painting yourself. When you do so you try and move your as little as possible, it's very wearing. He must have been painting, looking, painting, looking. The painting above demonstrates that he also had a good visual memory, he could make a pose, remember, and then paint. There is a huge difference in glimpsing and painting, and studying, then putting down all your props, then painting. He also had to remember how the smoke looked! And, though his depiction of smoke doesn't demonstrate complete technical brilliance it is convincing, and with this subject matter, otherwise painted with a free and loose hand, that is enough.
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