Geldtellers 1659 - 1714

Jan van der Bruggen created this engraving, titled "Geldtellers," sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It captures a scene emblematic of the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by unprecedented economic prosperity and global trade. Here, we witness an elderly couple immersed in the act of counting coins, a task that speaks volumes about the era’s burgeoning merchant class. Note the woman meticulously weighing coins, her brow furrowed in concentration, while her male counterpart, adorned in opulent attire, clutches a pouch, his gaze betraying a mix of calculation and perhaps even anxiety. What narratives are embedded in such a portrayal? The accumulation of wealth certainly altered social structures, but it also introduced anxieties related to its maintenance. Van der Bruggen provides a glimpse into the human emotions that accompanied this economic transformation, inviting us to consider the complex interplay between personal identity and financial status. "Geldtellers" serves as a window into the historical and cultural contexts that shaped the lives and perceptions of the Dutch people.