JAN, a celebrated Dutch painter, was born in Leyden in 1636. His father, who was a brewer, observing his son's predilections for art, had him apprenticed to one Knipper, a German artist of note. He subsequently received lessons from Van Goyen, and the hand of his daughter Margaret in marriage. Steen soon rose into considerable reputation as a painter, but his tastes unfortunately were much too expensive for the income of a prosperous young artist. He spent too much of his time in taverns, and was a great patron of brawls. While the drinking-shops fattened, poor Jan Steen got much out at elbows, and threw down his pencil in despair. What could man do more than he had done, and see what had come of it? His relations assisted him to set up a public-house, which met with great success, but Jan Steen drank as hard as ever. He resumed his pencil, and plied it with great success. More than 300 paintings came from his hand, and he is known to have painted with great care. His pieces represent merry-making, sick-rooms, and scenes of debauchery; schools, alchemists' laboratories, and card parties; taverns, tabagies, and prodigality; gluttony, wine-bibbing, and wretchedness; all delineated with such exceeding truthfulness and power that one could pardon the satirist even though the moral were wanting. In his drawing he is correct; in his colouring, rich and transparent; and he displays a delicacy of execution equal to Metzen. He sometimes attempted historical subjects, but he was much too great a humorist to succeed in them. He lived and died a spendthrift. After his decease, which occurred in 1689, his works rose rapidly in value, and they are now sold at exceedingly high prices. Fine specimens of this master are to be seen in the collections of the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Ashburton, Her Majesty, the Earl of Ellesmere, Mr Hope, Mr Lonsdale, the Earl of Carlisle, and others. The galleries at the Hague, Amsterdam, and St Petersburg contain also many excellent specimens of his painting.