The Card Sharps, a 17th century oil painting

17th century painting in period gilt frame entitled the card sharps.  A card sharp is a person who uses skill, deception, or both to win at cards and here the artist has painted slits in the glove a popular trick to enable the player to feel ‘marked’ cards.

This composition was originally created by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio with probably more than one version being painted by the artist himself and a subject revisited by several important artists including Mattia Preti with this version being clearly by a very good hand.