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Lot Essay
THE ORIGINAL OF CIRCA 1665, IS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE MARQUESS OF NORTHAMPTON, ASHBY CASTLE (K. BRAUN, ALLE TOT NU TOE BEKENDE SCHILDERIJEN VAN JAN STEEN, 1980, P.120, NO248, ILL.). THE PRESENT COPY WAS PROBABLY PAINTED IN THE 18TH CENTURY. THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE ORIGINAL AT THAT TIME IS NOT KNOWN. THE PICTURE FIRST APPEARED AT THE DE LA COURT-BACKER SALE, LEYDEN, 9 AUGUST 1766, WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY DIODATI. IT APPEARED ON THE MARKET THREE TIMES IN THE FIRST DECADES OF THE 19TH CENTURY. BY 1833 IT WAS IN THE COLLECTION OF ALEXANDER BARING, LONDON, AND AFTERWARDS IT WAS RECORDED IN THE COLLECTION OF LORD ASHBURTON. FROM THERE IT PASSED BY DESCENT TO LORD SPENCER AND TO THE PRESENT OWNER.
THE THEME OF THE SCHOOLROOM WAS TREATED BY STEEN IN SEVERAL VERSIONS DURING THE 1660S. THE PRESENT COMPOSITION CONCENTRATES ON THE ROLE OF THE PUNISHING SCHOOLMASTER, WHO IS SHOWN WITH A PLAK IN HIS HAND, WITH WHICH HE IS ABOUT TO HIT THE HAND OF THE NEGLIGENT PUPIL STANDING BEFORE HIM. THE MORAL IMPACT OF THE THEME IS EXPLAINED IN THE ENGRAVING BY NOACH VAN DER MEER II (G. JANSSEN (ED.), JAN STEEN, ETC., EXH. CAT. 1996, P.212, UNDER NO35, FIG.1) WITH THE EXPLANATORY TEXT DE SCHOOLVOS GEEFT DE PLAK OM EEN GERINGE FOUT; ZIJN SLAG IS DUBBEL RAAK ALS 'T KIND DE HAND OP HOUDT; HIJ DOET DIE IN DE HAND EN AAN DE KNOKKELS KLEMMEM - 'T IS EEN PEDANTE GEK WIENS PLAK ZIJN DRIFT MOET TEMMEN, MEANING THAT PHYSICAL PUNISHMENTS ARE NOT THE BEST MEANS TO DISCIPLINE A CHILD (G. JANSSEN (ED.), OP. CIT., P.215, NOTE 5). AMONG THE CHILDREN DEPICTED IN THE COMPOSITION, THREE SHOW THE FEATURES OF STEEN'S OWN CHILDREN: THE BOY BEING PUNISHED CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS CORNELIS, THE BOY HOLDING THE BOOK AS JOHANNES AND THE GIRL IN THE BACKGROUND SHOWS THE FEATURES OF STEEN'S DAUGHTER CATHARINA.
THE THEME OF THE SCHOOLROOM WAS TREATED BY STEEN IN SEVERAL VERSIONS DURING THE 1660S. THE PRESENT COMPOSITION CONCENTRATES ON THE ROLE OF THE PUNISHING SCHOOLMASTER, WHO IS SHOWN WITH A PLAK IN HIS HAND, WITH WHICH HE IS ABOUT TO HIT THE HAND OF THE NEGLIGENT PUPIL STANDING BEFORE HIM. THE MORAL IMPACT OF THE THEME IS EXPLAINED IN THE ENGRAVING BY NOACH VAN DER MEER II (G. JANSSEN (ED.), JAN STEEN, ETC., EXH. CAT. 1996, P.212, UNDER N