Inn with Guest and Serving Maid
ca. 1665
Jan Steen was the master of chaotic, humorous Dutch tavern scenes, and this intimate moment is no exception. A rosy-cheeked guest in a red cap is clearly having a great time, laughing as a serving maid leans in close, perhaps sharing a joke or a secret. Steen often filled his paintings with moral lessons about the dangers of overindulgence, but he made them so entertaining that you almost forget you're being lectured. Notice the clay jug and pipe on the floor—classic props in a 17th-century Dutch inn, setting the stage for a night of merrymaking.
Views: 4