Paardenmarkt te Valkenburg 1649

Jan de Bisschop made this pen and brown ink drawing of the Horse Market at Valkenburg sometime in the mid-17th century. With its elevated perspective, the drawing surveys a scene teeming with people and livestock, set against the backdrop of a quaint village and its towering church spire. The Dutch Golden Age was a period of unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. The art market boomed, with artists catering to a wealthy merchant class eager to adorn their homes with paintings and drawings. Horse markets were vital economic and social events in Dutch society, and the art market loved to represent these kinds of scenes. The church, too, was at the center of cultural life. By situating the marketplace in front of the church, de Bisschop implies the interconnectedness of commerce, community, and faith. To better understand de Bisschop's intentions, archival research into local customs and economic practices could shed light on the significance of horse markets in 17th-century Dutch society. The artwork's focus on everyday life is part of a bigger art movement that challenged old ideas about what art was for.