“Leaving the Tavern” is an oil on canvas painting by the esteemed Baroque artist Jan Steen. This noteworthy genre painting measures 84 x 109 cm, encapsulating a lively scene emblematic of everyday life in the Baroque era.
The artwork vividly portrays a bustling and somewhat chaotic scene outside a tavern. A group of revelers, presumably in various states of intoxication, are depicted in dynamic poses. To the left, a boatman assists a seemingly inebriated man and woman. The man, dressed in dark attire with a red sash, raises a jug high, likely indicating he is still in the throes of celebration. At the center, a woman in a white bonnet and a yellow bodice stands with her hands on her hips, observing the scene with a mix of amusement and disdain. Nearby, a group of people sit on the grass, some in deep slumber while others engage in conversation or partake in more drinking, displaying the merriment and excess synonymous with tavern scenes from this period. In the background, the tavern itself is visible, with more figures both within and emerging from its entrance. A dog meanders through the foreground, adding to the depiction of everyday life and vitality. The overall composition and rich detail vividly translate the disorder and joviality characteristic of Jan Steen’s works.
