Herberg met een zwaan before 1676

This print, "Herberg met een zwaan," or "Inn with a Swan," was made by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. Although undated, we believe it was likely produced in the Netherlands during the late 16th or early 17th century. The image shows a roadside scene complete with a thatched-roof inn denoted by the swan on its façade. In the foreground, two men on horseback and a running figure are likely hunting a hare. This image gives us insight into the culture of the time. The artist is representing the aristocracy through the hunt, the working class through the innkeepers, and the peasant class through the mother and child walking on the road. Prints like this circulated widely and were relatively inexpensive. They are invaluable to the social historian as documents of a past world. Through them, we can understand the social relationships and political dynamics of the time.