Oude man gezeten op een kruk met een uil 1784

Robert Brichet created this print, "Oude man gezeten op een kruk met een uil," sometime between 1750 and 1850 using etching. The print offers a satirical look at the figure of the speculator, a popular target for social critique during the 18th and 19th centuries. The image presents an elderly man, perched on a stool, intensely studying a document. His exaggerated features and the presence of the owl – a symbol of wisdom but also of night and hidden knowledge – invite us to consider the ethics of financial speculation. Is Brichet suggesting that such pursuits are foolish, or perhaps that they thrive in the shadows of moral ambiguity? The print invites us to reflect on how society views those who navigate the complexities of finance. "Le Speculateur" is not just a portrait; it's a commentary on the values and anxieties of a society grappling with emerging economic systems, and perhaps, an invitation to consider our own biases and assumptions about wealth and poverty.