Brief waarin het bedrog van de nieuw opgerichte compagnieën wordt aangetoond, 1720 1720

This printed letter, published in Amsterdam in 1720 by Isaac Stokmans, exposes the deceit of newly established companies. Note the crest, a bouquet of flowers, prominently displayed between two ribbons. This symbol, though seemingly innocuous, echoes the ancient motif of the cornucopia or horn of plenty. In antiquity, it represented abundance and prosperity, often associated with deities like Fortuna. Yet, here, amidst the speculative frenzy of the early 18th century, its presence is laced with irony. It evokes the allure of limitless wealth, while the text warns of the “downfall” of companies in France, England, and Holland. The visual language taps into a collective memory of prosperity, even as the letter's content challenges the very notion. The choice of this familiar symbol, now tainted with deception, reveals the potent psychological dance between hope and fear during a period of economic uncertainty. The cornucopia, a recurring emblem in art history, is here reborn as a cautionary emblem of speculative greed.