Landscape with Gentlemen Playing Pall-Mall 1642 - 1678

Willem Schellinks created this painting, “Landscape with Gentlemen Playing Pall-Mall,” during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by economic prosperity and extensive global trade. Here, in what appears to be an Italian landscape, gentlemen engage in a game of pall-mall, a precursor to croquet. Yet, this seemingly innocent scene subtly reflects the complex social hierarchies of the time. Consider the role of leisure and who has access to it. These men, undoubtedly from the upper classes, are at play, while others serve, attend, and likely labor to maintain this idyllic setting. It is an image of carefree leisure enabled by the labor of others, a common dynamic in the 17th century, shaped by mercantilism and colonialism. Schellinks invites us to consider the human relationships that underpin even the most beautiful of landscapes. He reminds us to look beyond the surface and reflect on the societal structures that shape what we see.