Kegelspel met vrouwen als kegels 1608

Jacob van der Heyden created this print titled "Kegelspel met vrouwen als kegels" or, in English, "bowling with women as skittles," in the late 16th or early 17th century. The image shows men bowling toward a row of women who stand rigidly like bowling pins, which may appear odd to our contemporary eyes. To understand this image, we have to consider how the politics of gender played out in the cultural life of the Dutch Republic. The image creates meaning through a range of visual codes and cultural references, reflecting attitudes toward gender, class, and social behavior in Dutch society at that time. As historians of art, we can look to printed sources, like pamphlets and satirical prints, to understand how gender relations were represented and debated in the public sphere. We might also want to look at conduct books and other prescriptive texts that sought to regulate social behavior and define the roles of men and women in Dutch society. By situating the image in its social and institutional context, we can gain a deeper understanding of its meaning and significance as a historical artifact.