Merry Family

From the series In detail
The Merry Family Jan Havicksz Steen (1626-1679), oil on canvas, 1668

What a light-hearted household scene! It gives us a glimpse of a ‘Jan Steen household,’ a Dutch saying for a chaotic home. But a serious moral message is concealed in the midst of the mayhem, namely the importance of setting a good example.