Hongersnood onder de Leidenaren, 1574 1614 - 1699

This etching, by an anonymous artist, depicts the Famine in Leiden in 1574. The image captures the desperation and suffering of the people of Leiden during the siege by Spanish forces. The scene is laden with visual cues of the horrors of famine. The emaciated figures and skeletal forms on either side of the image invoke the horror of starvation. The desperation of the people is evident in their willingness to fight over meager food scraps, while others sit listlessly, resigned to their fate. This image was made in the context of the Eighty Years' War, a period of intense conflict between the Dutch Republic and Spain, and reflects a time of great political and social upheaval. Historical accounts, diaries, and other primary source documents would help to shed more light on the political and social context that shaped this artwork. This image serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of understanding the social conditions that shape artistic production.