The Lovesick Maiden

Last updated
Paintings of physicians by Jan Steen
The Lovesick Maiden MET DP147594.jpg
Artist Jan Steen   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Yearc. 1660
Medium oil paint, canvas
Dimensions86.4 cm (34.0 in) × 99.1 cm (39.0 in)
Location Metropolitan Museum of Art
Accession No.46.13.2  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Identifiers RKDimages ID: 248633
The Met object ID: 437748

The Lovesick Maiden is a c. 1660 oil-on-canvas genre painting by Jan Steen. It shows a young woman suffering from love-sickness surrounded by her doctor and a maid-servant. It is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. [1]

Contents

Description

Jan Steen's The Lovesick Maiden depicts an indoor scene in a room belonging to a bourgeois family. [2] The otherwise dark room has soft light illuminating the figures from a source in the front left side of the room, hidden behind the viewer's line of sight. A secondary source of light from the open doors allow additional illumination to flood the scene.

The focal point of this piece exists in the middle foreground where the three central figures are located. As the main subject, a young woman is seated on a chair with her left foot resting on a stool. Next to her, there is a man to the left known to be a doctor, holding the maiden's wrist with one hand and a bag with his other. To the right, an older woman stands behind the maiden, with her gaze fixed on the doctor.

In the foreground on the floor, there is an arrangement of items: a cloth, a bed warmer, a brazier, and a yellow basket containing a glass bottle. The combination of the glass bottle, commonly used to hold urine, and the brazier indicate the question of whether the young maiden is pregnant. In testing urine for determining pregnancy, the urine was first heated by the brazier. [3] The righthand portion of the foreground contains a small dog curled up, asleep on a pillow next to the young woman's footstool. [1]

The true middle ground of the painting contains, on the right; a chair and four-poster canopy bed, of which a curtain is drawn, revealing the bed as empty. In the middle, left of the bed is a table with a cloth, atop sits a vase and bowl, above the table hangs a black chandelier. In the left portion of the middle ground a statue of cupid resides on top of the doorway.

The background consists of the foyer and the landscape. In the foyer, two small dogs are seen making mating advances. The dream-like landscape of the far background indicates possible influence from Jan Van Goyen, talented and prominent landscape painter and father-in-law to Steen. [2]

Interpretation

There are two interpretations that explain at length the context, themes, and iconography present in The Lovesick Maiden and other paintings by Steen, consistent with the doctor's visit genre theme: Lovesickness, and hysteria. The first interpretation derived from this work is the theme of lovesickness. This theory has long been popular among many art historians and museum entries such as the description provided for this work by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the piece resides. [1] The second interpretation of the context surrounding this piece originates from the ancient medical and social belief in hysteria. Laurinda Dixon introduced this second interpretation in 1995 with her book Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine. Dixon traces the origins of the Illness hysteria and provides a background for its prevalence in 17th Century Dutch art. [4]

Lovesickness

When viewing Steen's Doctors visit genre paintings, at first glance it may seem like a normal doctor's visit, but on closer inspection there are many clues and iconographic symbols in the scene alluding to the idea that this piece is part of a lengthy 17th-century Dutch tradition of "doctor's visit" paintings that feature a comical theater scene of a quack and a love-sick maiden [1] These recurring details or clues can be seen in the doctor in ridiculous theatrical dress, the nearby bed with an open curtain, the dog-on-a-pillow, the bed-warmer or burning coals, and the not-overly-concerned third person looking on. [1] Jan Steen painted several of these, as did many of his contemporaries in Leiden. As is common in Steen paintings, his usage of a common genre often includes an underlying comedic message regarding the matter at hand, and in this case it is the pair of copulating dogs in the doorway. [1] Though the specific theater scene is now lost, the main theme has been reconstructed: there is no "cure" for the young woman, because she is suffering from "love-sickness". In Steen's series of doctor's visit paintings, is unclear whether he is directing his judgement on the foolish doctor or the lovesick woman. [5]

Perri Chapman writes in favor of the lovesickness theory. In Jan Steen, Painter, Storyteller, Chapman notes that although Steen left his doctor's visit paintings up to interpretation, the theme of lovesickness is obvious. [3] Chapman states that although art historians, including Simon Schama, have researched in depth and searched wide to extrapolate a possible hidden meaning, the possibility of Steen's doctor's visit paintings having a deeper meaning than the surface-level elements that lead the viewer toward the conclusion of lovesickness, is highly unlikely. [3]

Hysteria

The root of the second interpretation is the illness Hysteria. This affliction, first diagnosed in ancient times, was understood by the Dutch through vernacular texts and thought to be caused by a wandering uterus in women. [4] Dixon's interpretation acknowledges the long-standing argument that The Lovesick Maiden, amongst other paintings following the same narrative, belongs to a comedic genre style of painting popular in Leiden in the 17th century, but inquires and explores a deeper motive, one interacting with the medical, moral and social beliefs surrounding women. [4] This argument is further explained by the reality that although Hysteria, or "lovesickness" was commonly occurring amongst men as well in the 17th century, Steen and other genre painters depicting similar scenes almost exclusively commented only on the way it affected women. [3] The exclusion of male lovesickness paintings from Steen and other artists from Leiden leads Dixon, author of Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine, to the conclusion that the intertwined nature of medicine and morality was used as a measure to ensure the continuation of the domesticity of women. [4] Lovesickness is a guise for the depiction of hysteria in women, used to reflect medical beliefs at the time and influence the behavior of women. Images of lovesickness were used as negative reinforcements to remind viewers of the dangers and repercussions of sloth and celibacy. [4]

There are certain details of this piece that lend themselves to either theories; The painting shows the doctor feeling his patient's wrist for a pulse. This occurrence and the inclusion of a bottle used for the testing of urine of lovesick women were accurate of medical practices in the 17th century for diagnosing lovesickness, or pregnancy. [3] Iconographic symbols such as the Cupid statue, and the bedwarmer are also included in the double meaning, alluding to love or wandering womb syndrome. [4]

Iconography

Iconographic symbols are scattered in every section of Steen's The Lovesick Maiden. The most recognizable of which are; The cupid statue situated above the open doorway, the sleeping dog next to the maiden, and the two dogs mating in the foyer. Many iconographic motifs such as the sleeping dog at the feet of a figure, or the presence of cupid, prevalent symbols in Dutch painting symbolizing love and loyalty have a rich history, and can be identified in artwork even spanning back to the Roman Imperial time [6] of 27 B.C.E- 476 C.E. [7] The tapestry located on the back wall of the painting, although eroded is confirmed to be a scene of the god Apollo playing the violin. This iconographic motif was incorporated by Steen into the piece to display a common remedy at the time for melancholia, the medieval humor responsible for depression. [1]

Other iconographic symbols might not be so obvious. Laurinda Dixon notes the connection between Doctor's visit paintings inclusion of animals such as dogs and horses, and the natural state of a woman's womb, which in 17th-century Dutch society was still believed to be wild and difficult to tame. [4] The two dogs copulating in the background of the piece allude to both the wild and sexual nature of the womb and further insist on the necessity for the lovesick maiden to marry and become pregnant to cure her wandering womb. [4]

Another symbol evident in all of Steen's doctor's visit genre paintings is the footstool containing a charcoal burner. These devices were especially popular in Northern Europe in places like Holland where the weather is cold. [4] A woman would place the foot warmer under her skirt to combat the cold. While the footwarmer is a practical advice for everyday use, it also refers to both the cold, wet nature of women's bodies, a common belief at the time in Dutch society, and the cure for uterine fits which were known to be the cause of hysteria in women. [4] In this piece, Steen has shown the charcoal burner outside of the wooden foot warmer. This choice is Steen's reference to the nature of uterus during a hysterical fit; being displaced in the body, not located where it should be. Dixon notes that the viewers visibility of the hot coals symbolizes the unquenched passion of the lovesick woman, who's womb has wandered due to abstinence. [4]

Inspiration

Melancholia I Durer Melancholia I.jpg
Melancholia I

Apart from the humorous genre popular at the time, Melencolia I , an engraving by Albrecht Dürer from 1514 is thought to be a source of Inspiration for the composition and visual elements of Steen's creation of The Lovesick Maiden.[4]Melencolia I depicts the personification of one of the four humors: Melancholy. Melancholy was believed in the medieval period to be the worst of the four humors but such thinking changed into a more positive outlook when it was rebranded during Renaissance times to insinuate genius traits in an artist. [4]Steen, however, unlike Durer, seems to be using melancholy in the traditional sense; depicting the maiden with a melancholic expression. The inspiration and similarities between Melencolia I and The Lovesick Maiden can be understood by examining the composition of the engraving; A woman whose face has been cast with a look of gloom, leaning on one arm, and the inclusion of both the cupid statue and a sleeping dog nearby[10].

Historical Context

Jan Steen attended Leiden University which was known during his lifetime for producing renowned physicians, such as Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. In the Netherlands at that time the concept of a "hospital" did not exist yet and most educated physicians received patients in their homes and only called on their patients rarely. In emergency cases, they would attend to patients in their care, but in general, people in need desiring a home visit, and those without a personal physician were left to the services of the many specialized barber-surgeons or travelling quacks. Pregnant women or women in childbirth were generally seen by midwives, not doctors. Archival studies have shown that this specific genre in painting was quite popular among art collectors of the 17th-century and it has been assumed that many 17th-century purchasers were doctors educated in Leiden who enjoyed this specific joke.

This painting came into the collection via the Helen Swift Neilson bequest in 1945. Other versions by Jan Steen are:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Steen</span> 17th-century Dutch painter

Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolaes Maes</span> Dutch painter (1634–1693)

Nicolaes Maes was a Dutch painter known for his genre scenes, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life. A pupil of Rembrandt in Amsterdam, he returned to work in his native city of Dordrecht for 20 years. In the latter part of his career he returned to Amsterdam where he became the leading portrait painter of his time. Maes contributed to the development of genre painting in the Netherlands and was the most prominent portrait painter working in Amsterdam in the final three decades of the 17th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frans van Mieris the Elder</span> Dutch painter (1635–1681)

Frans van Mieris the Elder, was a Dutch Golden Age genre and portrait painter. The leading member of a Leiden family of painters, his sons Jan (1660–1690) and Willem (1662–1747) and his grandson Frans van Mieris the Younger (1689–1763) were also accomplished genre painters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willem van Mieris</span> Dutch painter

Willem van Mieris was an 18th-century painter from the Northern Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriël Metsu</span> Dutch painter

Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667) was a Dutch painter of history paintings, still lifes, portraits, and genre works. He was "a highly eclectic artist, who did not adhere to a consistent style, technique, or one type of subject for long periods". Only 14 of his 133 works are dated.

<i>The Milkmaid</i> (Vermeer) 1658–1661 painting by Johannes Vermeer

The Milkmaid, sometimes called The Kitchen Maid, is an oil-on-canvas painting of a "milkmaid", in fact, a domestic kitchen maid, by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. It is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which regards it as "unquestionably one of the museum's finest attractions".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch Golden Age painting</span> 17th-century form of Dutch painting

Dutch Golden Age painting is the painting of the Dutch Golden Age, a period in Dutch history roughly spanning the 17th century, during and after the later part of the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) for Dutch independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genre painting</span> Paintings of scenes or events from everyday

Genre painting, a form of genre art, depicts aspects of everyday life by portraying ordinary people engaged in common activities. One common definition of a genre scene is that it shows figures to whom no identity can be attached either individually or collectively, thus distinguishing it from history paintings and portraits. A work would often be considered as a genre work even if it could be shown that the artist had used a known person—a member of his family, say—as a model. In this case it would depend on whether the work was likely to have been intended by the artist to be perceived as a portrait—sometimes a subjective question. The depictions can be realistic, imagined, or romanticized by the artist. Because of their familiar and frequently sentimental subject matter, genre paintings have often proven popular with the bourgeoisie, or middle class.

<i>The Feast of Saint Nicholas</i> Painting by Jan Steen

The Feast of Saint Nicholas is an oil-on-canvas painting executed c. 1665–1668 by Dutch master Jan Steen, which is now in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It measures 82 x 70.5 cm. The picture, painted in the chaotic Jan Steen style, depicts a family at home on December 5, the night celebrated in the Netherlands as the Feast of Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas.

<i>Peeckelhaeringh</i> Painting by Frans Hals

Peeckelhaeringh, or Pekelharing, refers to an old Dutch word for pickled herring. Today it is best known as the name of a comic theatrical character who was the subject of a painting by Frans Hals.

<i>The Garden of Love</i> (Rubens) 1633 painting by Peter Paul Rubens

The Garden of Love is a painting by Rubens, produced in around 1633 and now in the Prado Museum in Madrid. The work was first listed in 1666, when it was hung in the Royal Palace of Madrid, in the Spanish king's bedroom. In early inventories, the painting was called The Garden Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merry company</span> Term in art history for a painting showing a small group of people enjoying themselves

Merry company is the term in art history for a painting, usually from the 17th century, showing a small group of people enjoying themselves, usually seated with drinks, and often music-making. These scenes are a very common type of genre painting of the Dutch Golden Age and Flemish Baroque; it is estimated that nearly two thirds of Dutch genre scenes show people drinking.

<i>The Dancing Couple</i>

The Dancing Couple is an oil-on-canvas painting that was created by Jan Steen in 1663. It depicts a boisterous party with a dancing couple in the center. This painting is part of the Widener Collection, which currently resides in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The setting of the painting is a kermis, which is a local village fair that several Dutch artworks referenced. Kermises were extremely popular in the Bruegel tradition. The Dancing Couple was one of the few paintings which started a new era in Dutch art. Paintings like these depicts a setting which was inspired by the rural working class of the Dutch people. This was a significant change for Dutch art as these settings highlighted a thriving period in their history. A new perspective was shown which changed the way traditional Dutch art was looked at as they focused more on the realistic rural working lifestyle and values of the Dutch people.

<i>The Quack Doctor</i> Painting by Gerrit Dou

The Quack Doctor is an oil-on-panel painting by the Dutch artist Gerrit Dou from 1652. It is held at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, in Rotterdam.

<i>The Oyster Eater</i> Painting by Jan Steen

The Oyster Eater or Girl Offering Oysters is a small oil-on-panel painting by Jan Steen dating to c.1658–1660. Since 1936, it has been in the collection of the Mauritshuis in the Hague. It is a genre painting that demonstrates Steen's intricate style and use of domestic settings. It also shows Steen's use of symbolism with oysters to create a theme of earthly lust.

<i>As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young</i> (Jan Steen) c. 1668–1670 oil on canvas painting by Jan Steen

"As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young", in Dutch, Soo voer gesongen, soo na gepepen, is an oil-on-canvas painting executed c. 1668–1670 by Dutch artist Jan Steen. It is in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague. The painting is a celebratory holiday scene that depicts three generations of a Dutch family and serves as an allegory about parental examples, vice, and influence. This subject was painted thirteen times by Jan Steen and has also been known as The Cat Family, or Jan Steen's Family. Of the many renditions, the Mauritshuis version is considered to be the exemplar of the series. Its dimensions are 133.7 cm × 162.5 cm.

<i>Beware of Luxury</i> Painting by the Dutch painter Jan Steen

Beware of Luxury is a 1663 oil painting by the Dutch painter Jan Steen, now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

<i>The Physicians Visit</i> Painting by Jan Steen

The Physician's Visit is an oil-on-canvas genre painting by the Dutch artist Jan Steen, now seen in the Apsley House collection in London. Its subject is similar to his The Lovesick Maiden in the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the same era. The painting is a representation of how women were treated when treated by doctors in the 1600s. The painting features several small details and disguised symbolism that may go unnoticed to the common eye, but nevertheless contribute to the painting's meaning.

<i>Woman at her Toilet</i> (Steen) 1663 painting by Jan Steen

A Woman at her Toilet is an oil-on-panel painting by Jan Steen. It was painted in 1663 and is now a part of the Royal Collection, having been acquired by King George IV in 1821. The painting is housed in Buckingham Palace.

<i>The Young Mother</i> (Dou) Painting by Gerrit Dou

The Young Mother is an oil painting by Dutch artist Gerrit Dou, from 1658. The signature of the artist appears subtely in the stained glass window, GDOV.1658. This genre piece has been part of the collection of the Mauritshuis, in The Hague, since 1822.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Lovesick Maiden". Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  2. 1 2 Slive, Seymour (1954). Masterpieces of Dutch Painting. New York : H.N. Abrams. pp. 2–3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Chapman, H. Perry (1996). Jan Steen, painter and storyteller. National Gallery of Art. ISBN   0-89468-223-7. OCLC   270095127.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Dixon, Laurinda S. Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine. ISBN   978-1-5017-3576-9. OCLC   1120138355.
  5. van Oss, Oliver (1977). [Rezension von:] Kirschenbaum, Baruch D.: The religious and historical paintings of Jan Steen. - Oxford. OCLC   888292902.
  6. Gito, Manuel Antonio Diaz (2016-06-01). "Jan Steen and The doctor S visit: Classical Tradition in Golden Age Dutch painting (1st Part) /De la letra a la tela (I): Jan Steen y La visita del médico en la pintura holandesa del Siglo de Oro a la luz de la tradición clásica". Cuadernos de Filología Clásica. Estudios Latinos (in Spanish). 36 (1): 121–143. doi: 10.5209/rev_CFCL.2016.v36.n1.52547 . hdl: 10498/19860 .
  7. "Imperial Rome". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2023-03-30.

Sources