Zittende boer met een kruik 1622 - 1668

This engraving of a seated farmer with a jug was created by Nicolaes van Lijnhoven sometime before 1702. In this period, the Dutch Republic was experiencing its Golden Age, marked by unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural flourishing. The image presents a man in a wide-brimmed hat, casually seated on what appears to be a plinth, with a jug at his side. He raises one hand as if in greeting or perhaps mid-speech. The inscription below the image, "I don't like hunting or dancing / Because drinking well is my joy," gives us insight into his character, a man more inclined to simple pleasures than courtly pursuits. It's worth considering how this depiction fits into broader societal narratives. The Dutch Golden Age was also a time of increasing social stratification. Images of peasants and farmers can be complex. Are they romanticized portrayals of rural life, or do they carry a subtle commentary on class and labor? The farmer’s relaxed pose and joyful declaration challenges the traditional art of noblemen.