The Doctor's Visit

Jan Havicksz. Steen (in circa 1665)

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Alik asked

Hello.
May I ask you, what painting hangs on the wall in the Jan Steen’s “Doctor visit”?
Thank you)
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Hi Alik, The painting shows a Venus and Adonis-scene ( man and woman making love) in a landscape. Above the door is a cupido figure. Both the painting and the cupido underline the theme of The Doctor's Visit: the young woman lying in bed is suffering from unfulfilled desire. That's also why the doctor is wearing this strange theatrical costume and why all the people in the room are laughing about him writing a prescription. You might guessed this, as it was a quite popular theme in the 17th century. Kind regards, Els
RAM Krishnan asked

Ha the painting in the background with the two figures been identified? If not identified, what is the theme of the painting?

Thank you.
KInd regards,
ram
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Ram, The painting in the background has not been identified as a work that exists in reality, so probably it is an invention by Jan Steen. The theme has been identified as Venus and Adonis, which makes sense since the female protagonist is not sick in a medical sense but suffers from heartache. On the piece of paper at the right you can read (in Dutch) “hier baet geen medesijn, want het is minnepijn”, which can be translated as "in this case medicine will not help, because it is the pangs of love". I hope this answer is helpful. Kind regards, Els

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The piece of paper on the floor bears the rhyme: 'Medicine is to no avail, where sweet pain is the ail'. The text concerns the lovesick woman in the four poster bed. The doctor writes out a prescription and the others laugh at the pretence. This was a very well known and popular 17th century theme.

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Specifications

Title	The Doctor's Visit
Material and technique	Oil on panel
Object type	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Location	This object is in storage

Dimensions	Width 49 cm Height 61 cm
Artists	Painter: Jan Havicksz. Steen
Accession number	VdV 76
Credits	Loan Foundation Willem van der Vorm, 1972
Department	Old Masters
Acquisition date	1972
Creation date	in circa 1665
Collector	Collector / Willem van der Vorm
Internal exhibitions	De verzameling Willem van der Vorm. Schilderijen van Hollandse en Franse meesters uit de 17e en 19e eeuw (1950) The Collection Enriched (2011) De collectie als tijdmachine (2017)
External exhibitions	Jan Steen in het Mauritshuis (2011) De verbeelding van de Nederlandse spreekwoorden (2006)
Research	Alma
Material	Panel > Worked wood > Wood > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique Oil > Paint > Artist's material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Geographical origin	Harlem > North Holland > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe

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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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