Spotprent op C. Seyn 1817 - 1896

This anonymous print, held at the Rijksmuseum, seems to be a Dutch commentary on justice, labor, and social status, though its exact date remains unknown. The print creates meaning through the visual codes of its time. Lady Justice, a familiar figure, stands above a crowd, literally elevated above the common people. Below her we see scenes of labor. A baker sweats over his oven, while a well-dressed man carries books, seemingly profiting from this toil. A peacock, a symbol of vanity, struts near a classical pavilion, hinting at aristocratic pretensions. This image likely reflects the social tensions of its era, questioning the distribution of wealth and the roles of different classes within Dutch society. It's hard to say whether this print was progressive or conservative, but it definitely critiques the social structures of its own time. Unraveling the full meaning of such works requires extensive research into the period's political climate and cultural values, piecing together a picture of the artist's world. This print reminds us that art is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made.