Man met uil in venster 1628 - 1670

This print, made by Pieter de Jode the Younger, presents a curious scene of a man with an owl in a window. Produced in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century, the print invites us to consider the social dynamics of its time. The image creates meaning through a number of visual codes. We see a man embracing a woman, while he points outwards. The owl, a symbol of wisdom but also of foolishness, sits perched nearby. This image is an emblem of the social world of the Dutch Golden Age, a society undergoing rapid economic expansion, and the consolidation of a new, bourgeois class. Was this artwork commenting on the social structures of its own time? It seems to critique the institutions of marriage, or perhaps, offers a satire of social aspiration. Such readings are made possible by accessing the cultural context of its creation. Historians explore these contexts using a range of sources, including archival documents, literature, and other artworks from the period. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.