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Glite Dictionary
Jan Steen

Jan Steen

1 7.6
A Dutch painter from the 1600s who painted lively, humorous scenes of everyday life
  • proper noun
: Jan Steen
  • Jan Steen's paintings are famous for their vivid storytelling and humor.

Examples

  • Many art historians consider Jan Steen to be a master of depicting bustling household scenes.

  • The museum's new exhibition features several works by Jan Steen.

  • I admire Jan Steen.

  • Many people love Jan Steen!

  • Jan Steen was a prominent Dutch painter, celebrated for his humorous depictions of daily life.

  • Art enthusiasts often praise Jan Steen for his ability to capture lively domestic scenes.

  • The legacy of Jan Steen continues to influence modern artists today.

Surface Forms

Jan Steen main

Morphology

Jan + Steen

This is a proper name for a specific historical person (a Dutch painter), so its meaning (the identity and profession) is not compositional. Knowing the constituent tokens 'Jan' and 'Steen' does not allow a B1 learner to infer that this refers to a painter or the biographical dates, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Jan Steen is the name of a Dutch painter who lived in the 1600s and painted loud, funny scenes of family and home life. His pictures often show busy, messy homes full of people and action, so his name now brings to mind 'everyday life' and lively household scenes.