Begrafenis van de hond van schout Bondt, 1634 1707 - 1710

This engraving, made in 1634 by an anonymous Dutch artist, depicts the funeral of Sheriff Bondt's dog. This curious image opens a window onto 17th-century Dutch society. The elaborate mourning, complete with a procession of solemn figures and even a dog draped in black cloth, speaks to the changing social roles of animals in this period. The Dutch Golden Age was marked by increasing urbanization and wealth, impacting family structure and social values. As pets gained prominence as status symbols and companions, their deaths became occasions for elaborate displays of grief, mirroring human rituals. This work may be satirical, or perhaps a genuine depiction of sentimentality. Investigating the archives of the Sheriff’s office, along with period journals, might reveal more about the attitudes and social conditions that produced such a peculiar image. Art, as this engraving shows us, is always contingent on social and institutional context.