Vrijage om de Hollandse Bruid, ca. 1647-1648 1647 - 1648

Crispijn van de Passe's "Vrijage om de Hollandse Bruid" depicts a scene of courtship and social commentary from the Dutch Golden Age. A young man presents a bouquet to a seated woman, with a chaperone and another suitor observing. The scene is full of symbolism; the bride's position, the lion's presence, and the surrounding objects all speak to the wealth and expectations of marriage. The composition highlights the complexity of courtship in a world where marriage was often arranged for economic reasons. This etching, a valuable historical document of Dutch culture, is currently in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.