Nieuwjaarsprent van de Haarlemse rederijkerskamer De Wijngaertrancken, 1600 1600

Jacob Matham created this 1600 New Year’s print for the Haarlem Rhetoric Chamber ‘De Wijngaertrancken’, using engraving techniques. These rhetoric chambers were literary societies of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, which played a significant role in shaping cultural and political discourse in the Netherlands. The prints often combined religious and secular imagery with allegorical figures and textual elements. At the top, Mary holds baby Jesus who are surrounded by angels, suggesting a divine blessing for the New Year. The central diamond frames a male figure standing on a pedestal with arms raised towards the heavens, embodying the pursuit of knowledge and virtue, juxtaposed with images of earthly pleasures, like the reclining Cupid figure below. The Haarlem Rhetoric Chamber’s motto "Liefd boven al" ("Love above all") conveys their commitment to promoting love, unity, and civic virtue within their community. These societies provided a space for individuals from various social backgrounds to engage in intellectual exchange, artistic expression, and civic participation.