Solliciteur uit Den Haag en zijn vrouw 1641

This engraving, made by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, shows a solicitor from The Hague and his wife. It is a print, meaning that its impact depends on the mechanical process used to make it: cutting lines into a metal plate, inking it, and pressing paper against the surface. This mode of production, developed during the Renaissance, made images readily available at relatively low cost. The medium lends itself to the depiction of other commodities, like clothing, and to the values associated with a rising merchant class. The solicitor and his wife are each framed in an oval, in front of a cityscape. The sharp lines of the engraving create a sense of detail, especially in the depiction of clothing and architecture, emphasizing the material culture of 17th-century Dutch society. Ultimately, this print is more than just a portrait; it's a window into the economic and social dynamics of its time, reminding us that art is always embedded in the material conditions of its production.