The Drunken Couple

Jan Havicksz Steen (c. 1625–1679), oil on panel, c. 1655–1665

A man and woman are so drunk that they are unaware they are being robbed. Their foolishness is underscored by the print on the partition. It depicts an owl, considered a stupid creature in the 17th century. After all, it could not see by day, not even with a candle or eyeglasses. The drunken couple is thus just as blind as the owl, a message that survives in the English idiom ‘blind as a bat’.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-C-232
  • Dimensionsheight 52.5 cm x width 64 cm