Altogether too stupid

The work is a monochrome drawing in brown wash, with loose, gestural lines and soft shading that give a sketch-like, atmospheric feel. It shows a crowded scene around a central contraption, with a man on the left pointing outward and other figures leaning in or reacting, while a kneeling figure in the foreground holds a staff. The composition uses a strong left‑to‑right diagonal and a restrained tonal range to create movement and narrative, characteristic of Adriaen van de Venne’s late Dutch Golden Age satirical drawings.