Huishouden van Jan Steen 1848 - 1881

This color etching of ‘The Household of Jan Steen’ was created by Lutkie and Cranenburg, though we don’t know exactly when. It's a comic strip about the Dutch Golden Age painter Jan Steen, poking fun at his chaotic domestic life, which was a popular theme at the time. This print makes me think about the cultural fascination with artists' lives and how it influences their reputations. The narrative unfolds through these panels, showing Steen's struggles with balancing art and family. The use of color helps distinguish scenes, but it's also pretty slapdash. The verses below each image add another layer, inviting the viewer to consider the artist's personal life as part of his artistic persona. To understand this work, we should consider the broader market for prints and popular imagery in the Netherlands at this time. Studying the records of printmakers and the inventories of art dealers would provide valuable insight into the socio-economic context of this image. What did it mean to be an artist in Dutch society?