Explanation Jan Steen's paintings are marked by the number of people involved in what seem to be everyday occupations, whereas in reality each painting contains a story and other hidden illusions. He and other painters of his time loved telling obscene jokes in their paintings and presumably buyers of their paintings recognized the stories that he was telling. They didn't buy these genre paintings just for the love of art. |
a herring and two onions | "The Doctor's Visit" is not as innocent as it might seem according to the fool in the background |
| a sausage and two eggs | In "Twelfth Night" a fool offers the offensive symbols to a Mennonite | |
| mussel shells and oysters | "The Amorous Old Man" and "Man Offering an Oyster to a Woman" and "A Girl offering Oysters" use female genitalia to illustrate the direct advances that are being made. | |
| stuffing a pipe with a finger | Used also in "The Amorous Old Man" to represent intercourse | |
| broken eggs on the floor | Eggs were considered an aphrodisiac but in combination with a pan they allude to an old Dutch saying, "breaking eggs in a pan" or coitus. | |
| a stick leaning against a barrel with an open bung hole | "The Dancing Couple" (also below) presumably have more in mind that meery music at the country table. |
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| The Guesthouse |
Country People |
Dancing Couple |
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| The Dissolute Household |
The Doctor's Visit |
The Drawing Lesson |
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| Intemperance |
Argument at the Card Game |
The Marriage Contract |
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The Lean and Fat Kitchens are allegorical paintings of the poor and the wealthy. |
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The Lean Kitchen |
The Fat Kitchen |
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| The Merry Company |
The Pancake Seller |
Satyr and the Peasant Family |
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| Tric-Trac players |
Old-Time Singing |
St. Nicholas |
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| Twelfth Night |
A Festive Occasion |
A Girl Offering Oysters |
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