Griekse dorpsbewoner met doedelzak 1555 - 1568

Léon Davent made this print of a Greek villager with bagpipes sometime between 1540 and 1556, using etching and engraving. The image presents a somewhat romantic vision of rural life, a theme common in European art of the period. During the Renaissance, there was a growing interest in classical antiquity, so Greece held a certain cultural cachet. However, this image should be seen in the context of early modern European colonialism and the expansion of trade routes to different parts of the world. Pictures of this kind often exoticized non-European cultures for European audiences. We can learn more about the circulation and reception of images like these by studying period travel accounts, maps, and other forms of visual culture. Examining the artist's biography and the institutions that may have supported him can reveal the social and cultural dynamics at play in the creation of this artwork. The meaning of art is always dependent on its historical context.