Jan Miense Molenaer (artist)

Molenaer was a prolific and imaginative artist whose works vary greatly in quality and style. Among the diverse subjects he painted are peasant scenes, proverbs and allegories, portraits, religious narratives, and elegant merry companies. In many respects, he was the true predecessor of Jan Steen. By 1636, the year he married the painter Judith Leyster and moved to Amsterdam, he had become a mature and respected master, living up to the promise evident in The Dentist.