Portretten van Frans van Mieris en Jan Havicksz. Steen 1753

Jacob Houbraken created this print, “Portretten van Frans van Mieris en Jan Havicksz. Steen,” sometime in the 18th century, using engraving. The print depicts two artists, Frans van Mieris and Jan Steen, both of whom are known for their genre paintings of everyday life in the Dutch Golden Age. We also see the figure of an ape with a palette. This, like the inclusion of Jan Steen, has implications for how we are meant to understand the social role of the artist. This print was produced in a period when the concept of the artist was elevated to that of a creative genius, and its purpose was to celebrate famous Dutch masters from the previous century. But the inclusion of Steen, who often depicted drunken and debauched scenes, and the ape, which suggests the artist is a skilled imitator, complicates this. To better understand this artwork, one could research the prevailing artistic theories of the 18th century, as well as the biographies of the artists depicted. The meaning of art always depends on its cultural and institutional context.