X Hoe arger hoer, hoe beter geluck 1614

This print with the title "X Hoe arger hoer, hoe beter geluck" (The worse the whore, the better the luck) was created in the early 17th century by Roemer Visscher. Visscher was part of a vibrant intellectual circle in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of immense economic and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. The print which seems to be an illustration for a book, presents an intriguing proverb reflecting the social complexities of the time. The phrase itself challenges conventional morality, suggesting that those who are deemed "worse" or more immoral may paradoxically find greater fortune. It is a statement that seems to upend traditional expectations around virtue and reward. As you look at the image of the cracked pot I would like you to consider how gender and class become entangled in the cultural imagination. The proverb speaks to the social dynamics of a society undergoing rapid change and grappling with new ideas about commerce, morality, and individual agency. It encourages us to reflect on the contradictions inherent in human experience.