De wiskonstenaars of het gevluchte juffertje 1752 - 1761

Pieter Tanjé made this print, "The Scholars, or the Fleeing Maiden" in the Netherlands during the 18th century. It depicts a scene of supposed scientific experimentation gone awry. The image seems to critique the burgeoning Enlightenment fascination with scientific rationalism. We see a group of men gathered around a table laden with food and drink, while another man gestures wildly towards a fleeing woman in the doorway. The contrast between the jovial scientists and the frightened maiden suggests that the pursuit of knowledge can sometimes come at the expense of common sense and perhaps even morality. The men are so caught up in their ritualistic experiment that they seem oblivious to the woman's distress. As historians, we might consult contemporary scientific treatises, popular literature, and social commentaries to better understand how Tanjé’s work reflects the complex attitudes toward science in 18th-century Dutch society. This print invites us to consider the social impact of intellectual movements and to question the authority of institutions that claim to possess specialized knowledge.