De wreedheid van de stier, 1647 1647

This engraving titled, 'The Cruelty of the Bull,' was made in 1647 by an anonymous artist and is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. As Europe recovered from the throes of the 30 years war, images like these depicting the lives of ordinary people became popular. At first glance, this print appears to be a straightforward, if dramatic, depiction of rural life; however, it is ripe with cultural context. It highlights the family, which was the basic unit of Dutch society, and the clearly defined gender roles within it. The master and mistress, titles of social standing, labor in the fields, as does their child. This family is disrupted by the bull, and the master intervenes. It can be interpreted as a commentary on societal roles, and the disruption of the natural order. There is a sense of the unexpected, maybe even a feeling of instability. While seemingly traditional, the image invites questions about the roles and expectations within family and community, reminding us that even the most familiar scenes can contain layers of complexity and nuance.