Allegory of Coinage 1670 - 1708

Romeyn de Hooghe created this large-scale painting, "Allegory of Coinage", reflecting the Dutch Republic's global trade ambitions during the Golden Age. The central female figure embodies wealth and power, literally holding the horn of plenty, while the racialized figures around her are depicted in subservient roles, visually symbolizing the sources of Dutch economic strength. The enslaved person in the foreground is shown kneeling and offering gold, representing the exploitation of labor and resources from colonized lands. The figure on the right is blindfolded, operating machinery, possibly referencing the devaluation of labor that accompanied the rise of the Dutch trading empire. The painting's classical allegorical style veils the brutal realities of colonialism and slavery that underpinned the Netherlands' economic success, revealing the complex entanglements of wealth, power, and exploitation during this period. The painting invites us to reflect on the legacy of the Golden Age, and how its prosperity was built on the backs of marginalized peoples.