Visvangst met fuiken 1582 - 1633

"Visvangst met fuiken," or "Fishing with Fykes," was created by Philips Galle, sometime between the 16th and 17th centuries using engraving techniques. Galle lived during a time of significant economic and social change in the Netherlands, as it was a period of burgeoning trade and maritime activities. This engraving depicts fishermen hauling in their catch with fykes, a type of net. Consider the labor involved, and the contrast between the active figures of the fishermen and the grand city in the background. What does it say about the relationship between labor and capital, or the tension between the rural and urban? It offers us a glimpse into the lives of working-class people who were crucial to the economy, yet often absent from the historical record. What can images like this tell us about the labor, class, and environmental changes of the time? While seemingly a simple scene, the print invites us to reflect on broader societal structures and lived experiences.