A rural wedding is taking place in a courtyard. The groom descends the stairs to welcome the bride. The congregation appears to be criticising and mocking the couple. It is probable that the bride has already lost her virginity. This can be deduced from the relief on the fountain which shows a horseman abducting a struggling woman. In that case, Jan Steen gives a lively commentary to an inappropriate marriage that is completely at odds with the middle-class morality of the time. The date 1653 is found at bottom left, a rare occurrence in Steen's work. This means that this work can be considered the earliest masterpiece by Steen. The figures are clearly grouped and each shows individually a masterful characterisation. 'The village marriage' proves that before his departure for Delft Jan Steen was an independent artist, and already a master of his art.
Specifications
| Title | The Village Wedding |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on canvas |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is in storage |
| Dimensions |
Height 64 cm Width 81 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Jan Havicksz. Steen
|
| Accession number | 2314 (OK) |
| Credits | Loan Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, 1948 |
| Department | Old Masters |
| Acquisition date | 1948 |
| Creation date | in 1653 |
| External exhibitions |
Feesten in de Gouden Eeuw (2011) Het Delft van Vermeer (2023) |
| Research |
Show research Alma |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | Northern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
All about the artist
Jan Havicksz. Steen
Leiden 1626 - Leiden 1679
Jan Steen is known for his humorous depictions of the everyday life of farmers and the middle-classes in 17th-century Holland. He worked in The Hague, Haarlem,...
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