Boer met mand after 1635

Frederick Bloemaert created this etching, "Boer met mand," which translates to "Farmer with Basket," in the 17th century. Bloemaert was working in a Dutch Republic that was experiencing a golden age of art and economic prosperity, but also stark social stratification. The print depicts an elderly man, presumably a farmer, holding a basket and a walking stick. His bare feet and simple clothing suggest a life of labor and a close connection to the land. In a society that was rapidly urbanizing and commercializing, images like this served to represent the rural, working class, often romanticizing their way of life. Yet, we might also consider how such depictions could reinforce social hierarchies. By portraying the farmer as simple and humble, the artwork subtly validates the existing power structures. Consider how the farmer's posture—his gaze directed downward—might evoke feelings of empathy or perhaps condescension in the viewer. Bloemaert invites us to reflect on our own position relative to this figure and, by extension, to the broader societal landscape of his time.