Boer uit Vlieland before 1689

Pieter van den Berge made this print, Boer uit Vlieland, using etching and engraving techniques. The man’s dress, with its full breeches, short jacket, and jaunty hat, immediately signals the Dutch Golden Age, a period of unprecedented wealth for the Netherlands, built on maritime trade. But this isn’t a portrait of a wealthy merchant, instead it is one of a peasant or farmer, the Dutch ‘boer’. Vlieland is one of the northern-most islands in the Netherlands. In the 17th century, Vlieland was a crucial point of departure for ships sailing to the Baltic sea. Here, the peasant’s casual pose almost mimics that of a gentleman, but his clothing is less refined, his stance less studied. How should we understand images like this? Historians turn to a variety of sources to understand the social role that the image plays. What do costume books say about how peasants dressed? What do shipping records say about the economy of Vlieland? These questions help us to understand the print in its historical context.