Twee scènes uit de komedie Eunuchus van Terentius 1716 - 1718

Bernard Picart made this print showing scenes from Terence's Roman comedy, Eunuchus. Picart was working in the Netherlands in the early 18th century, during a time when classical learning was considered the height of sophistication. Look at how Picart uses architecture, costume, and gesture to evoke the world of Roman theatre. The buildings, for example, are simple stage sets, and the characters wear tunics and togas. In the image, the figures' exaggerated movements recall theatrical acting styles. The Eunuchus was originally written in Latin around 161 BC, but the question is, how would Picart's contemporaries have understood the play? The Dutch Republic was a major economic and cultural power in the 1700s. Its educated elites would have used classical drama to think about their own society and government. We can research the history of classical education and theatre in the Netherlands to understand the cultural context of this print better. The meaning of art is contingent on these kinds of historical associations.