DOI chapter:
The Works of Jan Steen
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62823#0027
THE
WORKS
OF
JAN STEEN.
■ '<^^1
1- 1 he Effects of Intemperance. In illustrating this moral
lesson, the painter has not scrupled to introduce the portraits of
himself and wife, in the characters of the master and mistress of
the house, both of whom appear to have recently indulged to
repletion in the pleasures of the table, and are now sunk into a
profound sleep. The latter, a fine comely woman, dressed in a
red jacket bordered with ermine, and a bluish silk petticoat, is
seated in the centre of the apartment by the side of the table.
While in this state of drowsy inebriation, a girl is picking her
pocket; and at the same time a little boy stands by, holding a
piece of money in his hand, and looking archly on. A third
child, and the youngest in the family, sits near a large window
in the act of aiming a blow with a fiddlestick at a wine-glass
which is placed on a chair before him. In the back of the
room are seen a servant man handing some bags of money to
the maid. Amidst this scene of spoliation may be observed
a dog on the table, devouring the contents of a pie; a cat,
while in the act of springing up at a bird, has knocked down a
china vasfi; some meat is burning at a fire, and a monkey is
amusing himself with books and parchment deeds; which, with
a china jug, a silver plate, a broken goblet, a violin, and a
bible, lie scattered on the floor. Thus are the baneful essects of
intemperance strikingly pourtrayed in the universal language of
von. IV. B
WORKS
OF
JAN STEEN.
■ '<^^1
1- 1 he Effects of Intemperance. In illustrating this moral
lesson, the painter has not scrupled to introduce the portraits of
himself and wife, in the characters of the master and mistress of
the house, both of whom appear to have recently indulged to
repletion in the pleasures of the table, and are now sunk into a
profound sleep. The latter, a fine comely woman, dressed in a
red jacket bordered with ermine, and a bluish silk petticoat, is
seated in the centre of the apartment by the side of the table.
While in this state of drowsy inebriation, a girl is picking her
pocket; and at the same time a little boy stands by, holding a
piece of money in his hand, and looking archly on. A third
child, and the youngest in the family, sits near a large window
in the act of aiming a blow with a fiddlestick at a wine-glass
which is placed on a chair before him. In the back of the
room are seen a servant man handing some bags of money to
the maid. Amidst this scene of spoliation may be observed
a dog on the table, devouring the contents of a pie; a cat,
while in the act of springing up at a bird, has knocked down a
china vasfi; some meat is burning at a fire, and a monkey is
amusing himself with books and parchment deeds; which, with
a china jug, a silver plate, a broken goblet, a violin, and a
bible, lie scattered on the floor. Thus are the baneful essects of
intemperance strikingly pourtrayed in the universal language of
von. IV. B