Zingende kinderen met rommelpot en tol 1633

Marinus Robyn van der Goes created this etching called "Singing Children with Rommelpot and Top", sometime in the 17th Century. The piece offers us a window into the lives of children during the Dutch Golden Age. We see a group of youngsters enthusiastically engaged in making music, playing games. But what stories do these children hold? What socio-economic backgrounds do they come from? Are they free to play as they wish or are their lives governed by the labour needed to survive? The expressions on their faces are interesting: some are joyful while others seem strained, which invites us to reflect on the varied experiences of childhood in the 1600s. Van der Goes captures a moment of pure, unadulterated play. But in doing so, it makes me consider those whose voices are often unsung.