Village Dance (1678) This painting shows men, women, and children enjoying a festive village dance. Young people dance to the music of a bagpiper and a drummer, while their elders admire them and cheer them on. In the background, villagers drink beer and partake of the relaxed outdoor atmosphere. The scene is reminiscent of Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s (c. 1525-69) earthy paintings of peasant life. Oil on canvas by Matthias Scheits (c. 1625/30-c.1700), 1678.