LIII Ad Tragoedias 1614

Roemer Visscher made this engraving, LIII Ad Tragoedias, in the Netherlands, probably sometime around the turn of the 17th century. The image depicts lavishly ornamented silver and gold vessels and is accompanied by a text in old Dutch. Visscher was part of a vibrant intellectual circle in Amsterdam, one very concerned with the social role of literature and art. This image comes from a book of emblems—that is, symbolic pictures accompanied by mottoes and explanations that offer moral guidance. Here, the inscription "Ad Tragoedias, Non ad Vitam" suggests the vessels were intended to be deployed in tragic dramas rather than used in everyday life. Visscher points out that these objects are wasted on household use and will cause arguments and theft among servants. Instead, he thinks, such opulence is better put toward the stage. Understanding the cultural context of early modern Europe, where the boundaries between public and private life were constantly being negotiated, helps us understand the image's full meaning. By reading Visscher's publications and the works of his contemporaries, we gain a better insight into the world of the Dutch Golden Age.