A couple drinking 1660s - 1670s

Jan Steen created this painting of a couple drinking, with oil on canvas, sometime in the 17th century. Steen was a master of genre painting, making scenes of everyday life look incredibly vivid. Take a close look at the materiality of the painting, and how this affects its content. Oil paint is interesting. It is easy to handle and allows for layers of texture. Steen clearly understood the material well, as the subjects appear life-like. Look closely at the clothing of the woman, and note the folds and the creases. It is these fine details that elevate Steen's work. The use of oil paint also adds an element of richness to the painting, an aesthetic that was very popular with the rising merchant class of the time. They were eager to show off their wealth, and paintings like this served as status symbols, demonstrating not just artistic taste, but also the ability to afford such luxury items. So, in Steen’s paintings, we see more than just daily life; we see a reflection of the economic and social values of the time.