John Law, de uitvinder van de windnegotie, in zijn zegekar, 1720 1706 - 1720

This etching from 1720 satirizes John Law, the Scottish economist who masterminded France's disastrous Mississippi Company scheme. The image is packed with visual metaphors commenting on the speculative bubble and its consequences. Law is shown riding a chariot in the sky, pulled by a two-headed rooster, representing the volatile stock market. Figures around him point to the financial ruin and the crumbling state of affairs in France. The tower represents the Mississippi Company, and the man on top proclaims that he's ready for more. This print speaks to the social and economic anxieties of the time, reflecting a widespread distrust of financial institutions and the excesses of capitalism. The Dutch Republic, where this print was made, had its own history of speculative bubbles. The artist uses established visual codes to critique Law's policies and their impact on French society. Understanding this image requires research into the economic history of the early 18th century, along with analysis of the print's iconography and the cultural context in which it was produced.