Natuurlijke Wet ontsluierd door Wetenschap 1744

Pieter Tanjé created this engraving, "Natuurlijke Wet ontsluierd door Wetenschap" or "Natural Law Unveiled by Science," in the Netherlands during the 18th century. Here, Tanjé visualizes the Enlightenment values of his era, using allegory to represent the triumph of reason and scientific inquiry over ignorance. The central figure of 'natural law' is revealed by science, while figures representing error and vanity are cast down. This imagery reflects the broader intellectual currents of the Dutch Enlightenment, with its emphasis on empirical observation. In a culture shaped by both its mercantile power and its reformed religion, one can see a desire to reconcile faith and reason through the concept of natural law. Institutions like the universities at Leiden and Franeker played a crucial role in propagating these ideas. To fully appreciate this engraving, we need to consult the texts and philosophical debates of the time, engaging in a form of historical detective work, to understand the visual language that Tanjé and his contemporaries would have recognized.