Artwork
Der liederliche Haushalt
Der liederliche Haushalt is a paint painting by Jan Steen. It dates from 1665 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Jan Steen’s 1665 oil painting titled *Der liederliche Haushalt* is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The work presents a bustling interior scene populated by a reclining woman, assorted guests, and a spread of food and objects, rendered with the artist’s characteristic narrative vigor.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre sits a woman in a white headscarf and a blue‑white dress, her right arm raised as she holds a glass. Around her, figures engage in card games, drinking, and conversation, suggesting a moment of domestic revelry that hints at the moralizing themes often found in Steen’s genre scenes.
Technique & Style
Steen employs strong chiaroscuro to model forms and create depth, allowing the illuminated central figure to stand out against a darker background. The composition is dense yet organized, with a careful arrangement of objects such as a fruit basket, a table draped in white cloth, and a book that add texture and narrative detail.
History & Provenance
The painting was executed in 1665 during Steen’s mature period in the Dutch Golden Age. It entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings at an unspecified later date, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Dutch genre collection.
Context
*Der liederliche Haushalt* reflects the 17th‑century Dutch interest in everyday life and moral instruction. Steen, known for his lively domestic scenes, often used humor and disorder to comment on the consequences of indulgence and lax household management.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century.
Paintings of physicians by Jan Steen
The Dissolute Household
Merry Company on a Terrace
Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman
Interior of an inn with an old man amusing himself with the landlady and two men playing backgammon, known as 'Two kinds of games'
The Drunken Couple
The Happy Family
Bathsheba after the Bath
