Vrouw met mand en man met kool Possibly 1651 - 1652

Harmen ter Borch created this quick sketch of a woman with a basket and a man with cabbage in the Netherlands, sometime in the mid-17th century. It gives us an insight into the lives of ordinary people, immortalized in a few strokes of pen on paper. Every element in this image speaks to the social conditions of the Dutch Golden Age, particularly the burgeoning market economy. The figures depicted are likely merchants or farmers, their livelihoods intricately tied to the exchange of goods and the social structures that governed it. Ter Borch, working in this context, offers a glimpse into the economic activities and social dynamics that shaped Dutch society. As historians, we delve into archival records, period literature, and other artworks to understand the full context. By piecing together this puzzle, we gain a richer appreciation of art's role as a reflection, and also a critique, of its time.