Allegorische voorstelling met stedenmaagd en Justitia 1697 - 1725

Joseph Mulder created this print, "Allegorische voorstelling met stedenmaagd en Justitia," in the Netherlands around the turn of the 18th century, using etching. It uses allegory to make a political argument. The image employs the visual codes of classical allegory to comment on Dutch society. We see the allegorical figure of Justice, along with the 'stedenmaagd', or city virgin, representing the cities. A farmer sits with his produce. The Latin text indicates this print concerns Friesland, Groningen, and other regions. The map in the lower part of the image depicts the regions in relation to Germany. This image speaks to a specific historical moment and the institutional concerns around governance and trade in the region. Prints like these served a public role, using familiar visual language to comment on the pressing social issues of the day. To understand this print, we could research the history of Friesland and Groningen in the late 17th century, as well as the use of allegory in Dutch printmaking. The meaning of art is always shaped by its specific social and institutional context.