The Bean Feast

Jan Steen's Bean Feast from 1668 depicts the traditional celebration on Epiphany (January 6) when a bean hidden in a cake determined who would be "king" for the evening. The Driekoningenfeest (Three Kings' Feast) was one of the most raucous celebrations in the Dutch calendar, and Steen painted numerous versions of this subject. The painting in Kassel captures the chaotic joy of the moment when the "king" is crowned, with the full household erupting in celebration.

Steen orchestrates a crowded interior scene with masterful control of the eye's movement through the composition. The warm palette dominated by reds and golds creates a convivial atmosphere, while individual expressions are rendered with his characteristic wit and observational precision.