Artwork
Young Girl Giving Alms to an Old Man
Young Girl Giving Alms to an Old Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1658 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Jan Steen’s 1658 oil painting titled Young Girl Giving Alms to an Old Man presents a quiet domestic encounter. Executed in the Dutch genre tradition, the work measures the modest exchange between a youthful donor and an elderly recipient, set within a simple interior that opens onto a leafy exterior. The canvas now belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young girl in a yellow dress and white head covering, extending a modest offering to an old man in blue garments who leans forward with a cane in hand. Their gestures and expressions suggest mutual respect and compassion, highlighting the moral virtue of charity that was a common theme in 17th‑century Dutch moralizing art.
Technique & Style
Steen employs a warm palette dominated by yellows, blues, and earth tones, softened by diffused lighting that bathes the figures in a gentle glow. The brushwork balances fine detail—such as the texture of the girl’s dress—with broader, more fluid strokes in the background foliage, creating a harmonious blend of realism and sentiment.
History & Provenance
Created in 1658, the painting remained in private Dutch collections before entering the Rijksmuseum’s holdings in the early 20th century. Documentation traces its ownership through several Dutch art dealers, confirming its attribution to Steen and its consistent presence in inventories of genre works.
Context
The work reflects the Dutch Golden Age’s preoccupation with everyday morality, where scenes of almsgiving served both didactic and decorative purposes. Steen, known for his lively domestic narratives, often infused such moments with subtle humor and social commentary, situating this piece within his broader oeuvre of genre paintings that explore human behavior.
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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
