Slapend jongetje 1670 - 1713

Pieter Schenk created this mezzotint, "Sleeping Boy," in the Netherlands during the late 17th or early 18th century. The image presents a seemingly innocent scene of a sleeping child, but it's important to consider the period's cultural context. During this time, Dutch society experienced significant economic growth and social change. Images of children, like this one, became increasingly popular, reflecting evolving attitudes towards childhood and family life. The open display of the boy's genitalia, while jarring to modern eyes, was not uncommon and carries no particular erotic charge. Schenk, as an engraver and print publisher, was deeply embedded in the art market, producing images for a growing middle class. Understanding Schenk's role within this institutional framework allows us to see this print not merely as a sentimental depiction but as a commodity within a complex web of social and economic forces. Investigating period sources, such as domestic inventories, helps reveal the consumption and circulation of such images within Dutch society. Only in this way can we appreciate its status as a social document as much as a work of art.