The Village Wedding

A rural wedding is taking place in a courtyard. The groom descends the stairs to welcome the bride. The congregation appears to be criticising and mocking the couple. It is probable that the bride has already lost her virginity. This can be deduced from the relief on the fountain which shows a horseman abducting a struggling woman. In that case, Jan Steen gives a lively commentary to an inappropriate marriage that is completely at odds with the middle-class morality of the time. The date 1653 is found at bottom left, a rare occurrence in Steen's work. This means that this work can be considered the earliest masterpiece by Steen. The figures are clearly grouped and each shows individually a masterful characterisation. 'The village marriage' proves that before his departure for Delft Jan Steen was an independent artist, and already a master of his art.