Twee vrouwen en man met fruitschaal 1655 - 1708

This engraving by Romeyn de Hooghe depicts two women and a man with a fruit bowl. De Hooghe was working in the Dutch Republic during its Golden Age, a period marked by immense economic prosperity and colonialism, but also stark social inequalities. Here, we are presented with an image of leisure, yet the figures are caught in a complex interplay of gazes and gestures. The woman seated appears to be the focus, her dress emphasizing her elevated status. The man’s offering of fruit, a symbol of wealth and luxury, reinforces a hierarchy where women were often positioned as objects of display and desire. The other woman leans in, her expression ambiguous – is it envy, approval, or perhaps a critique of the transaction unfolding? Notably, the discarded animal remains in the foreground point to a reality of consumption and waste, implicitly questioning the cost of such opulence. This piece invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in everyday interactions and the often-unacknowledged realities behind displays of wealth.