at his waist. Jan Cossiers moved in the circle of the famous Flemish genre painter Adriaen Brouwer who was known, amongst others, for his tronies, i.e. head or facial studies, which investigate varieties of expression. Brouwer painted a tavern scene called The Smokers, which included tronie-style portraits of Jan Cossiers together with the painters Jan Lievens, Joos van Craesbeeck (1600-1671), Jan Davidsz. de Heem and Brouwer himself (c. 1636, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). Jan Cossiers is the second figure on the right and appears to have smoke in his mouth, as if tasting it before exhaling. This type of group portrait doubled as a representation of one of the five senses (in this case the sense of taste). Jan Cossiers also painted a number of genre portraits that represent the five senses. These portraits can at the same time be regarded as tronies. Examples are the portraits of A man looking into his empty tankard (Sold at Hampel (München), 2011-03-25 - 2011-03-26, lot 207) and Portrait of a gentleman, said to be Adriaen Brouwer (Sold at Bonhams on 5 July 2006, London, lot 46), which are likely portraits of Adriaen Brouwer as well as representations of the sense of taste. The paintings are believed to be part of a series on the five senses. As was common in Antwerp’s art world at the time, Cossiers collaborated with other specialist artists, for whom he painted the figures. A garlanded portrait of Huygens by Cossiers and Daniel Seghers is now in the Mauritshuis. He is known to have collaborated with the still life and animal painter Adriaen van Utrecht on a kitchen scene (dated 1639, private collection). Cossiers painted the portraits of van Utrecht and his wife Constancia in a kitchen amidst an extensive still life with game, lobster, fish and vegetables painted by van Utrecht. Drawings Cossiers was a very accomplished draughtsman, which is shown by a number of portraits of children, including his own. Cossiers made a series of portrait studies of his family members. Each of the drawings is numbered in the top left and most identify the sitter by name and are dated 1658. The series is characterized by the intimate treatment and particularly lifelike effects. The surviving portraits only depict the artist's sons and not his five daughters. These portraits are executed in a very varied and fluid manner. Notes External links Flemish Baroque painters