Apen wegen en tellen geld 1720 - 1767

This print, made by Leonard Schenk around the early 18th century, presents a scene of monkeys weighing coins and handling money. It reflects the cultural fascination with ‘singeries’, a visual motif where monkeys mimic human behavior, often used to satirize aspects of society. It's hard to look at this image and not think about the complex ways in which race, class, and labor intersect. During this period, the Netherlands was deeply involved in colonial trade and slavery. Depicting monkeys in human roles could, consciously or unconsciously, echo dehumanizing attitudes toward enslaved or colonized people, while also questioning human greed and materialism. The detailed rendering of the monkeys, their expressions and actions, invites us to consider the emotional dimensions of such satire: is it merely humorous, or does it provoke deeper questions about inequality and exploitation? Such imagery forces us to reflect on the power dynamics embedded in everyday life.