Road into a Village, plate 19 from "Regiunculae et Villae Aliquot Ducatus Brabantiae" 1605 - 1615

Claes Jansz. Visscher made this print called "Road into a Village" in the early 17th century in the Netherlands. It comes from a series depicting the Duchy of Brabant, now part of the Netherlands and Belgium. This image isn’t just a pretty picture, it also offers a glimpse into the social and economic landscape of the time. The village scene, with its thatched-roof houses and church spire, represents a close-knit community rooted in agriculture. But look closely and you'll also see figures walking along a road. The print offers a glimpse of the local economy as villagers pull handcarts loaded with goods. The level of detail in the print tells us something about the engraver's intended audience. Such images would have appealed to middle-class city dwellers who wished to imagine and perhaps even invest in the countryside. Understanding this print fully means diving into Dutch history. We can discover how it reflects the economic conditions and social structures of the 17th century. We also learn how the art market itself promoted images of the countryside for an urban audience.