‘As the Old Sing,so Pipe the Young’
c. 1668 - 1670
Jan Steen was the master of the messy house, and this chaotic scene is exactly why the Dutch phrase 'a Jan Steen household' means a total disaster! The title quotes a cheeky proverb: 'As the old sing, so pipe the young,' warning that children copy their parents' behavior. While the adults drink, smoke, and sing raucously, the kids mimic them perfectly—the boy plays a recorder and the toddler holds a pipe, learning mischief early. It’s a funny, crowded moral lesson packed with spilled food, a confused dog, and overturned pans.
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