Artwork
The Christening
The Christening is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1663 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Jan Steen's 1663 oil painting, The Christening, captures a bustling domestic scene, characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age genre tradition.
Jan Steen's 1663 oil painting, The Christening, captures a bustling domestic scene, characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age genre tradition. This work portrays a crowded interior filled with various figures, including the recognizable character Peeckelhaering, alongside elements like a baby's bassinet and a protective "baby bumper." The painting is currently housed in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on the celebratory event of a christening, yet it extends beyond the solemn ritual to embrace the boisterous aftermath. Numerous guests fill the space, engaging in conversation, eating, and drinking. Amidst the revelry, a woman cradles the newborn in a basket, while other figures, including children engrossed in play and the distinct character of Peeckelhaering, contribute to the lively, informal atmosphere that defines this domestic gathering.
Technique & Style
Steen's artistic approach emphasizes a dynamic and detailed composition. The scene is rendered with a sense of controlled disorder, where rumpled garments and animated expressions convey constant movement and interaction among the figures. The artist employs chiaroscuro, a technique of strong contrasts between light and shadow, to sculpt forms and create a tangible sense of depth within the crowded interior, enhancing the painting's vibrant realism.
History & Provenance
Created by Jan Steen in 1663, The Christening exemplifies the artist's prolific output during the Dutch Golden Age. This oil painting has been preserved over centuries and is now part of a significant public collection. It is currently displayed at the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it offers insight into 17th-century Dutch social customs and artistic trends.
Own this work as a print
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