Jan Steen fadein Man for all seasons Jan Havicksz Steen is one of the most famous artists of Holland's Golden Age. He stands out among his contemporaries as a master of many different styles. The paintings currently on display in the Rijksmuseum's Masterpieces reveal Steen's enormous variety. 10000 uncover left fadein Chameleon Jan Steen was born in Leiden and lived successively in The Hague, Delft, Warmond, Haarlem and finally moved back to Leiden. Each place he lived in, he drew inspiration from the local style of painting and subject matter, adapting these in his own inimitable way. This can clearly be seen in a comparison of Steen's 'Burgomaster of Delft' with this painting by Pieter de Hooch of Delft. 10000 uncover left A characteristic of the Delft style of painting was the realistic rendering of light and space. In this painting by Jan Steen the Delft influence is obvious in the clear daylight and the view of the town in the background. 10000 uncover left Pieter de Hooch usually painted interiors in which views from one room into the next often play an important role. In this outdoor scene an open garden gate offers a view of a canal flowing along the house. fadein Re-use Despite his tremendous productivity and the hundreds of paintings he made, he barely earned enough to make ends meet. So in addition to painting Steen also took on other jobs, including brewing and innkeeping. Jan Steen was a hard-working man, therefore, and worked as efficiently as possible. That is why he often painted the same subjects and re-used certain motifs. 10000 uncover left 10000 uncover left 10000 uncover left 10000 uncover left fadein Storyteller Jan Steen was first and foremost a narrative painter, he tried to tell a story with each painting. Which is why he chose subjects with an anecdotal quality, borrowing from mythology, the Bible or everyday life. Even his portraits tell a story by portraying the subject in some form of activity. This is typical of Steen; other artists augmented their portraits with symbolism or opulent clothing. 10000 uncover left A baker and his wife proudly display their wares in front of their shop. Steen portrayed the profession, but also his two subjects. Their identities are known thanks to an inscription on the back of the canvas. 10000 uncover left Jan Steen turned this biblical scene into an essentially human story. It is full of humour and warmth, as in his depictions of everyday objects: Joseph taking the dish of eggs, for example, or the child on the left, heating the porridge. 10000 uncover left Using expressions and gestures Steen tells a recognizable story. The young lad points with mischievous glee at his older brother, who is crying because his shoe contained the cane. But grandma nods to him: perhaps there’s a parcel for him behind the curtain. Jack of all trades Steen's paintings reveal him to have been at home in almost any specialization, although he clearly preferred portraying people engaged in ordinary activities. He liked to cross boundaries with his subjects and genres, mixing portraits and history pieces with everyday scenes and still lifes. All of Steen's characters seem to act in more-or-less the same way, whether they are involved in a biblical drama or a tavern scene. Steen invariable chose eloquent gestures and facial expressions, and often dressed his subjects in fashionable clothes. fadein Expressions and gestures Today Steen is best known for his paintings of families in disorderly interiors with all kinds of activities taking place. This is what gave rise to the Dutch phrase 'a Jan Steen household'. But the compositions are not as chaotic as they seem. By making his subjects exchange expressions and gestures Steen animated and clarified his scenes. 10000 uncover left These people are singing and drinking. Some appear to be looking out of the painting, drawing the viewer's attention to the moral message. This can be read on the chimneypiece: adults should set the right example to children. 10000 uncover left The children are playing with a cat, and teasing it. An old man at a window above is telling them off. One of the boys turns to face us, mischievously. fadein Humour In the 17th century dirty jokes and double entendres were as popular as ever. Jan Steen often applied the idea in his paintings to give them a humorous touch. Sometimes the joke would be immediately obvious, but often the real meaning would have to be guessed at from the hints he gave. Steen would also raise a laugh by incorporating characters from popular farces. A 17th-century viewer would immediately have seen that this woman was being made fun of. The doctor is a caricature, dressed in his long outmoded garb. The girl is not ill at all, she is lovesick. 10000 uncover left A 17th-century viewer would immediately have seen that this woman was being made fun of. The doctor is a caricature, dressed in his long outmoded garb. The girl is not ill at all, she is lovesick. fadein Moral messages Steen did not only paint for laughs. Many of his paintings reflect a proverb or a wise lesson in life. Sometimes the meaning is obvious, when the moral or the proverb is written out on a letter incorporated into the painting. 10000 uncover left The slip of paper reveals the message: what use is a candle or spectacles if the owl does not want to see, for an owl is blind with or without a light or glasses. So too the young couple, too drunk to notice the thief. 10000 uncover left The slip of paper reveals the message: what use is a candle or spectacles if the owl does not want to see, for an owl is blind with or without a light or glasses. So too the young couple, too drunk to notice the thief. fadein Self portraits Only two self portraits are known by Jan Steen, but he often portrayed himself and members of his family in active and comic roles amid the other figures in his paintings. This was how he acquired a reputation as a rake and a drunkard, a totally false image. Steen enjoyed a joke, but was far from profligate. 10000 uncover left 10000 uncover left 10000 uncover left