Schoolmeester c. 1650 - 1694

Dirck de Bray created this print called 'Schoolmeester' in the Dutch Golden Age, a period of tremendous economic and cultural growth for the Netherlands. The print offers a glimpse into the gendered and class-based social structures of the time. In this period, education for boys was prioritized for civic and religious roles, while the education for girls was often limited to domestic skills, reinforcing gender roles and societal expectations. Note the presence of a few female figures seemingly observing or quietly participating, seated away from the main activity, their presence marked by a different relationship to the center of instruction. De Bray’s work is a look into the formative spaces where knowledge and power intersect. It invites reflection on who has access to education, and how these structures shape individual destinies. How does this historical depiction resonate with contemporary debates about education, equity, and access?