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The Dissolute Household

Jan Steen Dutch
ca. 1663–64
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 542

Steen often made himself the butt of his own jokes, placing his self-portrait at the center of domestic chaos. Here, the artist entwines his fingers with those of the maid, who pours his wife a generous serving of wine. Broken glass, a mischievous cat, and romping young boys contribute to the general impression of a household run amok. Suggestions of an ominous fate hang literally over the family’s heads, in the form of a basket containing a beggar’s crutch and can, as well as clappers, then used to warn of leprosy or the plague, and the jack of spades, signifying misfortune.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Dissolute Household
  • Artist: Jan Steen (Dutch, Leiden 1626–1679 Leiden)
  • Date: ca. 1663–64
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 42 1/2 x 35 1/2 in. (108 x 90.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: The Jack and Belle Linsky Collection, 1982
  • Object Number: 1982.60.31
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

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Merry Company on a Terrace, Jan Steen Dutch, Oil on canvas
Merry Company on a Terrace
Jan Steen
ca. 1670
The Lovesick Maiden, Jan Steen Dutch, Oil on canvas
The Lovesick Maiden
Jan Steen
ca. 1660
Self-Portrait, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Oil on canvas
Self-Portrait
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1660
Young Herdsmen with Cows, Aelbert Cuyp Dutch, Oil on canvas
Young Herdsmen with Cows
Aelbert Cuyp
ca. 1655–60
Merrymakers at Shrovetide, Frans Hals Dutch, Oil on canvas
Merrymakers at Shrovetide
Frans Hals
ca. 1616–17

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