Jongen met een prent waarop een uil bij kaarslicht 1720 - 1792

Aert Schouman made this mezzotint, entitled "Boy with a print depicting an owl by candlelight," sometime in the 18th century. The print shows a boy holding a candle, with a print of an owl illuminated in the background. This image participates in the longer history of Dutch genre painting. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch artists often depicted scenes of everyday life, offering glimpses into the domestic and social spheres of the Netherlands. The boy's curious gaze and engagement with the owl print reflects a culture that valued education, curiosity, and the dissemination of knowledge. Candlelight scenes were also popular, often employed to evoke a sense of intimacy. Prints in the Netherlands were not merely decorative items. They also served as accessible means of circulating information, artistic ideas, and political commentary. The image is a rich site for historical inquiry, inviting questions about the circulation of images, the role of children in society, and the cultural values that shaped artistic production in the Netherlands. Careful archival research can unlock the significance of such works.