My understanding is that ter Borch explained much of this painting in a retrospective on his works he completed (in 1636?).
Per ter Borch, the guy is a Walmart Assistant Manager. He runs the meat department in the East Overjssel Walmart and has caught the girl slipping a butt portion of smoked ham under her dress (Maybe the shank cut - I forget, but any error there seems unimportant at this point). He knows that she usually wears patent leather boy shorts a tube top and green flip flops when she shops, so whenever she comes to Walmart dressed in her full skirt, the security cameras track her all the way through the store, knowing that she is trying to lift some sort of smoked meat. Sometimes, it's ham, other times smoked pork chops, or sausage. Occasionally beef, but not that often, because she is usually lifting it for the dog, who is presented as a dejected, spirit, knowing that his days of free ham bone are passing as he watches.
Anyhow, the Asst. manager is giving the girl the old Dutch what-for, demanding that she lift her skirt and show the ham, which he believes she is holding between her legs. She understands that it's either 'show the bare stuff, or do some hard time' and so she shyly resists his overtly sexual demands, suddenly feeling as if she has become a pawn in the sexual foreplay between the Asst Manager and the Store Security Manager, a spiteful old hag who spends each day judgmentally sipping boxed Paul Mason wine that she pulls from the wine section of the store, claiming carton damage has rendered the box unsellable (just look at that snobby way she holds the stemware), demanding a strip search of any Dutch lass she even vaguely suspects of boosting store inventory.
For years, art critics have speculated on the true meaning of the "07" formed by the ribbon shown hanging from the table. Some speculate it is a reference to the 1607 run at the Stanley cup made by the Vonfoosten Headcheesers in their 734 game winning streak, before they were eliminated from the quarter finals that year. Others say there is no way that ter Borch would have used such a blatant sports analogy in a painting as it would have alienated most of the Yeervestland Salamanders, Versteejeen Wormers, and many of the Pivenderstander Owl fans. Not to mention all of his home boys who unfailingly rooted for the Overjssel MadHatters. I tend to agree with this second opinion as ter Borch portrays the WalMart Meat Market Asst. Manager holding a Overjssel team MadHat in his lap, with the team colors predominately displayed in the hat band feather.
Regarding the '07", I tend to side with those who believe he is showing support for his soemtimes benefactor Claus von der Husserl, the notorious proprietor of the Danish line dance club "The 07 Lounge" out on Lake Pilkeenver.
No one has ever presented any meaningful explanation as the the "Pig sticker" sported by the meat Market Asst. Manager. I believe ter Borch included it as nothing more than a symbolic penis reference.
Ever in service to the Arts,
M2
