Ziet hier o jonge jeugd / het geen u oogen streeld / De koninklijke jagt heel konstig af-gebeeld. 1725 - 1780

This 17th-century print by Johannes Kannewet, now in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a royal hunt. Kannewet was a bookseller in Amsterdam. Images of the hunt served not only as entertainment but also as a reflection of power and status in a deeply stratified society. The scenes, teeming with dogs and prey, are framed by text that speaks to the pleasures of the hunt, and its skillful rendering. Yet, if we look closer, these images betray the violence inherent in the aristocratic pursuit, where the lives of animals are subjected to human desire and dominance. Consider the contrast between the opulence of the royal figures on horseback and the frantic energy of the animals, caught in a deadly game. This work invites us to reflect on the historical roots of our relationship to the natural world, and the power dynamics that continue to shape our understanding of life and death.