Jonge jager bij vechtende soldaten te paard 1667

Abraham Dircksz. Santvoort created this print, "Young Hunter near Fighting Soldiers on Horseback", using etching techniques. This piece reflects the militaristic culture of the Dutch Golden Age, yet it complicates the traditional heroic narrative of battle. The focus isn't on the soldiers themselves, but on the young hunter and the dogs, who seem more alert to the violence than the men engaged in it. This could be read as a commentary on the desensitization to conflict that might have been prevalent during a time marked by frequent wars and colonial expansion. There's a raw, almost animalistic energy in the dogs' postures that contrasts with the more posed and theatrical gestures of the soldiers. Santvoort captures a moment of intense, immediate experience, drawing our attention to the periphery of the battle, thus questioning who is really impacted by conflict.