Musical Company

Jan Steen was one of the leading Dutch genre painters of the 17th century. He was prolific, producing about 800 paintings, of which about 350 survive. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour. This genre scene is typically lively and full of detail.

Daily life was Steen's main theme, a common one amongst Dutch Golden Age painters. Paintings of this time and place often hint at warnings to the viewer against sins of the flesh or over-indulgence in wordly pleasures.

Music and artistic expression were often coded as potentially dangerous to morality. There are symbols in this picture that suggest the musical company may not be quite so wholesome as it seems to modern eyes. The unattended dog, the empty bird cage, and the jug of wine in the foreground hints at potential chaos and licentiousness. The gaze of the seated man towards the woman at the harpsichord is suggestive, and there is a sense of unguarded sexuality in the scene. The figure in black in the doorway conveys a sense of onlooking social judgement.

Bequeathed by Lord Samuel, 1987

No. 3764

Harold Samuel Collection, Mansion House