JAN STEEN (1626–1679) - ATTRIBUTED

Oil on canvas. Jan Steen, originally a brewer and innkeeper, created fascinating works of extraordinary diversity - landscapes and village festivals, entertaining scenes of society and families, portraits, and historical paintings with biblical and mythological motifs. The expression “Steen household” became a synonym for a chaotic, extravagant household, but these scenes were interpreted ironically and critically. Many of Steen’s works refer to old Dutch proverbs and literature. In his paintings, Steen often depicted man with all his weaknesses, which he used to appeal to the viewer’s morality and conscience. This gave him a kind of artistic freedom, enabling him to paint otherwise inappropriate themes and socially unacceptable situations. In this particular painting, which depicts a merry group during a celebration, also features a self-portrait of the artist on the left embracing a woman. He looks out of the painting towards the viewer, quite typical for a self-portrait in a multi-figural composition, but here we can notice a particular expression on his face that seemed to express the joy of a man and his often-ridiculous actions.