Blad met tientallen kleine voorstellingen van juridische aard (illustraties voor 'Ars magna et admirabilis (...) Pandectarum tituli (...) ope figurarum emblematicarum'?) 1690 - 1695

This is a print made by Romeyn de Hooghe, likely made in the Netherlands at the end of the 17th century. It presents dozens of small scenes of a juridical nature, seemingly illustrations for a book. Prints such as this were distributed widely and cheaply, and they therefore represent an important public forum for debate. The scenes on view here depict the enactment of law in different ways. We see the kinds of legal transactions and punishments that were then current, such as imprisonment, torture, or financial penalty. The practice of law is here presented as something that is not abstract, but immediate and relevant to ordinary people’s lives. The images offer a revealing glimpse into the values and norms of Dutch society at the time, and a sense of the boundaries of acceptable behaviour. To understand these norms fully, the historian must refer to documentary evidence such as legal treatises, court records, and popular literature. Art like this print is a valuable source, but it is always contingent on its historical context.