Schaap in de kapperswinkel 1605

Claes Jansz. Visscher made this etching, "Schaap in de kapperswinkel," around 1609 in the Netherlands. The scene shows a sheep getting a shave in a barbershop, attended by well-dressed figures. It's a comical scene, but satire was a serious business in the Dutch Golden Age. The print's humor isn't just for laughs. It's a commentary on social roles, economic exploitation, and perhaps even political structures of the time. Consider the context: The Netherlands was a rising economic power, with a complex class system and growing tensions between the merchant class and the old aristocracy. Who is shearing whom here, and what does it mean? To truly understand this artwork, we can delve into the social history of the Netherlands, examining everything from economic treatises to popular songs and theatre. Through such research, we can begin to appreciate the complex ways in which artists of the time engaged with and commented on the world around them.