Schurfde Commissie 1731 - 1732

Isaac Vincentsz. van der Vinne made this print titled 'Schurfde Commissie,' but we don't know exactly when. The image depicts a naked man running from left to right with a document in hand. In the background, a windmill looms. It could be interpreted as a commentary on the economic and social structures of the Netherlands at the time, particularly the importance of trade and industry. During the Dutch Golden Age, windmills were a symbol of prosperity. By stripping the figure of his clothes, the artist might be critiquing the excesses of Dutch capitalism, or perhaps mocking the very institutions of art that provided him with patronage. To truly understand this image, one must delve into the economic history of the Netherlands. As historians, we interpret art as a product of its time, shaped by social, political, and economic forces. Examining the artist's biography alongside other artworks and historical documents would shed more light on the meaning of this print.