Room 26

Jan Steen, The Interior of an Inn (‘The Broken Eggs’)

“Jan Steen often included his own portrait in his riotous household and inn scenes. In this raucous tavern scene, he is the man who lifts the woman’s skirt. The rowdy character of the scene is further enhanced by other details with obvious erotic connotations: the frying-pan handle, the pipe stem, the gesture of the man filling a pipe as well as the broken eggs. However, it is not clear whether such a scene was meant to simply humour the viewer, or whether it was meant as a warning against intemperance and immoral behaviour.”

after Steen, Interior of an Inn

after Steen, Interior of an Inn

after Steen, Interior of an Inn

after Steen, Interior of an Inn

 

The quote on this page is from the description of the original painting by the National Gallery.
 

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