Jonge vrouw en een koppelaarster 1670 - 1713

Pieter Schenk created this engraving called "Young Woman and a Procuress" in the late 17th or early 18th century, a time when the Dutch Republic was grappling with its burgeoning wealth and evolving social norms. This piece throws us right into the complex dynamics of gender and class. The procuress, an older woman, whispers in the ear of a young woman, who is likely being propositioned. The gaze of the young woman, though, is ambiguous, and her agency hangs in the balance. The presence of luxury items – jewelry and fine fabrics – speaks volumes about the economic transactions underlying the scene. Schenk invites us to reflect on the uneasy negotiation of power, desire, and economic necessity that shaped the lives of women in the Dutch Golden Age. It serves as a potent reminder of the nuanced ways in which gender and class intersect to determine individual destinies.