Scene uit Lubbert Lubbertse, of de geadelde boer 1766

Jacobus Buys created this drawing, "Scene uit Lubbert Lubbertse, of de geadelde boer," with pen in gray and brown ink, brush in gray and brown, over black chalk around 1760. It depicts a moment of public humiliation from a popular Dutch play. The drawing offers a window into the social values and anxieties of the Dutch Republic. The play, like this image, satirized social climbing. By mocking Lubbert, a farmer who tries to buy his way into the aristocracy, Buys critiques the blurring of class lines driven by the economic dynamism of the Dutch Golden Age. The performance of the play would have reinforced existing social hierarchies. The Rijksmuseum, like many national museums, plays a role in shaping cultural memory. It collects and displays objects that tell a particular story about Dutch identity and history. Art historians consult a range of sources to understand the meanings of an artwork like this. Period plays, political pamphlets, and even costume books can provide valuable context. Art serves as a reflection of the society that produces it.