Stadsgezicht met de aanbidding door de herders 1618

Hendrick Hondius I created this print titled 'Cityscape with the Adoration of the Shepherds' in 1618. Here, the biblical scene is set within a contemporary Dutch city. While the poor shepherds huddle in a lean-to on the left, the city's wealthy residents stroll and conduct business in the right half of the picture. In the Dutch Republic of the early 17th century, social class was increasingly determined by wealth. In the visual arts, this often played out in the contrast between the ostentatious displays of the elite and the relative invisibility of the poor. Hondius's work presents a stark juxtaposition, with the Holy Family relegated to the margins while the well-to-do occupy center stage. Art historians can consult period documents such as city records, tax rolls, and inventories of estates to better understand the social dynamics represented here. These can help us interpret how the public role of art could reflect, but also comment on the era’s norms.