1600s Dancing for the Guests in a Public Garden Terrace under an Arbor by Jan Steen (1626-1679)

Jan Steen (Dutch artist, 1626-1679) The Dancing Couple 1663 This celebration takes place at an outdoor garden terrace, probably attached to a local tavern.

These gatherings seem to be taking place on the little garden terraces, that tavern owners began to attach to their inns during this period for the use of the general populace.  Dutch artist Jan Steen (1626-1569) is best known for his upbeat genre paintings, which depict scenes from everyday life. Genre painting in the Netherlands began with the depiction of proverbs, allegories, & folklore by 16C artists, notably Pieter Breugel the Elder (1528-1569).  By the early 1600s, the Netherlands had come to prosper through trade & commerce. Soon a new middle-class emerged which could accumulate enough money to buy decorative items for their homes. Artists began to create images for this new type of buyer, usually subjects that they would see around them in their daily lives. Unlike the high art paintings, that the very wealthy would specially commission from artists, genre works were sold on the free market to anyone who could afford to buy them.