The highly popular Dutch painter Jan Steen (1626-1679) was born in Leiden. He studied under Jan van Goyen (1596-1656), and married his daughter, but was also influenced by the fijnschilder tradition instigated by Gerrit Dou. Though prolific and versatile, he was best known for humorous yet moralising genre scenes, and especially those of taverns. They were influenced by his own experience, for he leased a brewery in Delft and, in 1672, opened a tavern in Leiden. Ruskin 's mention of 'Jan Steen's pans' ( MP I:324) seems to be his only published reference to the artist. Conversely, Sir Joshua Reynolds had earlier singled him out for 'approbation' (see Reynolds on Dutch and Flemish painting).