Street scene with theatre performance and female market stallholders c. 1660

This pen and brown ink drawing by Wouter Schouten captures a bustling street scene, likely made in the Netherlands sometime in the latter half of the 17th century. It depicts a layered view of Dutch society. In the foreground, we see market stallholders, likely women, selling their goods. Further back, there's a theatrical performance, suggesting a vibrant public life. The presence of individuals in different attires hints at various social classes coming together in a shared public space. The drawing raises questions about the public role of art and commerce during the Dutch Golden Age. Was theatre accessible to all? How did the market contribute to the social fabric of the city? To understand this work fully, we might turn to period documents, such as city records, theatre programs, or even personal letters to reconstruct the dynamics of Dutch society. Ultimately, this drawing reminds us that art is always embedded in a specific social and institutional context, and it is the historian's task to illuminate those connections.