Optocht door de rederijkerskamer De Roo Roosen uit Schiedam (derde deel), 1607 1607

This is the third section of an anonymous engraving titled "Procession of the Rhetoric Chamber De Roo Roosen from Schiedam," created in 1607. The piece offers a glimpse into the cultural world of the Dutch Golden Age, a time marked by economic prosperity and artistic innovation. Here, members of a rhetoric society parade in costume. These societies were literary and dramatic associations popular in the Low Countries during the 15th and 17th centuries. Rhetoric chambers served as vital platforms for cultural expression. They staged performances and engaged in literary competitions. The figures, identified by labels, represent allegorical or biblical characters, each embodying a specific concept or virtue. We see figures like "Judas," "Greed," and "Wehsage" (sorrow). The engraving thus provides a snapshot of the values and moral concerns of the time. What does it mean to see the world through allegory? How do these figures reflect the aspirations and anxieties of Dutch society at the dawn of the 17th century? This print invites us to consider how art shapes cultural identity.