Beslach Daer hebdy't al 1614

This engraving, “Beslach Daer hebdy't al,” which translates to “Seizure, There you have it,” was made by Roemer Visscher in the Netherlands in the late 16th or early 17th century. It’s an illustration from a book of emblems, which were popular at the time. The image shows a man vomiting coins, suggesting a commentary on wealth, debt, and perhaps even the social stigma of bankruptcy. In the Dutch Golden Age, the merchant class was becoming increasingly powerful, and with that came new anxieties about money. Consider how the Dutch Reformed Church influenced social attitudes at the time. Were certain kinds of economic activity seen as sinful? Were new social institutions needed to deal with debt and poverty? This emblem offers a glimpse into those debates. To understand this image more fully, it’s important to look at other examples of emblem books, popular literature, and economic data from the period. Through careful research, we can better understand how art reflects and shapes the values of its time.