Meten, wegen en rekenen 1719

Pieter Balthasar Bouttats created this print using etching techniques sometime between 1666 and 1755. The combination of images and text relates to hunting, but it is important to examine its social and cultural setting. The print shows a crest held by two figures wielding rifles, surrounded by dead game and hunting equipment, framing calligraphic text in Portuguese. Portugal’s history of hunting as a noble pursuit, alongside its colonial history, gives the image meaning through visual codes associated with power and privilege. The book at the bottom and title of the print suggest a practical manual, while other elements reference wealth and aristocratic identity. As historians, we might examine Portuguese hunting practices, colonial economies, or the history of technical manuals to better understand the print’s purpose and meaning, all of which were shaped by social conditions of the time.