Spotprent op de Hollandse kuiperijen tegen de Engelsen, 1652 1652

This satirical broadside, created in 1652 by an anonymous artist, depicts a humorous scene of an English cooper being outsmarted by a Dutch cooper. It highlights the rivalry between the Netherlands and England during the First Anglo-Dutch War, with the Dutch cooper being portrayed as clever and resourceful while the English cooper is depicted as clumsy and foolish. This engraving, which is housed in the Rijksmuseum, provides insight into the social and political climate of 17th century Europe, particularly the tension between these two nations. The image is a visual representation of the Dutch proverb "’t Engelse kuipertje" (the English cooper), which signifies clumsiness and incompetence.