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Home with Jan Steen: Exhibition celebrates Dutch master's 400th birthday
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Home with Jan Steen: Exhibition celebrates Dutch master's 400th birthday

From NRC Handelsblad · (4d ago) Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A new exhibition at Museum De Lakenhal celebrates the 400th anniversary of Dutch painter Jan Steen's birth.
  • The exhibition, titled 'Thuis bij Jan Steen' (Home with Jan Steen), explores the connection between his life and his art, featuring around thirty of his paintings and works by contemporaries.
  • It highlights Steen's versatility, from early village scenes to later theatrical compositions, and his characteristic depiction of lively, often chaotic, domestic life.

Museum De Lakenhal proudly presents 'Thuis bij Jan Steen,' an exhibition commemorating the 400th anniversary of the birth of our renowned Dutch master, Jan Steen. It is a natural inclination to associate Steen, born the son of a Leiden brewer, with the boisterous phrase 'leven in de brouwerij' (a real brouhaha). His life as a brewer and innkeeper, coupled with the vibrant, often chaotic scenes in his paintings, makes this connection irresistible.

This exhibition delves into the intimate world of Jan Steen, exploring how his personal life and surroundings influenced his art. We invite visitors to see how his self-portraits, and those of his family members, frequently appear as characters in his lively genre scenes. As the 18th-century biographer Arnold Houbraken noted, 'his paintings are like his way of life, and his way of life like his paintings.'

'Thuis bij Jan Steen' showcases approximately thirty of Steen's own paintings, alongside works by his contemporaries, drawing primarily from our museum's collection and other Dutch public institutions. Masterpieces like 'The Bakers' (1658) and 'The Merry Family' (1668) from the Rijksmuseum are on display, alongside rarely seen loans from private collections. These include an early village scene, 'May Dance' (1648), and a late, theatrical wedding feast, 'The Spanish Bride' (c. 1670-1679), which will remain at De Lakenhal as a long-term loan.

Through this carefully curated selection, we offer a glimpse into Steen's remarkable artistic versatility. From landscapes to portraits, including a captivating depiction of his second wife, Maria van Egmond, as Bathsheba, the exhibition reveals the breadth of his talent. We believe this exhibition provides a unique opportunity for both Dutch audiences and international visitors to connect with the enduring legacy of Jan Steen, a painter whose work continues to resonate with its energy and humor.

his paintings are like his way of life, and his way of life like his paintings

— Arnold HoubrakenQuoted by the article, this statement by an 18th-century art biographer highlights the perceived connection between Jan Steen's life and his artwork.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by NRC Handelsblad in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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