Ruzie om een buffelkadaver 1681

This is "Ruzie om een buffelkadaver", an etching by Dirck Bosboom, made in the Netherlands around 1670-1680. It shows a group of men fighting over the carcass of a buffalo on a beach, with two more figures on the shoreline behind them. The image reflects the social conditions of the Dutch Golden Age. The Dutch East India Company dominated trade routes. This generated wealth but also created conflicts over resources, which is what we can see pictured here. As historians we might ask if the carcass of the buffalo is a metaphor for the division of wealth back in the Netherlands. Does the print serve as a commentary on the morality of a capitalist economy? To understand Bosboom's intentions, we would examine other works by the artist, study Dutch history, and look for contemporary accounts of economic life and social tensions. This research would enable us to better interpret the role of art in expressing and critiquing society.