Vrouw met een geldbuidel 1670 - 1724

This print, "Vrouw met een geldbuidel," was made by Jacob Gole, a Dutch artist. Here, a woman is depicted holding a purse, a potent symbol of wealth, but also one of worldly concerns. The image of a figure handling money bags is ancient, echoing through centuries. It reminds me of medieval depictions of the sin of avarice, where misers clutch their wealth, oblivious to spiritual riches. Yet, here, the woman's gesture is ambiguous, a coquettish inspection rather than a desperate grasp. Consider how, in different contexts, the moneybag has shifted in meaning. Once a symbol of greed or earthly vanity, now it seems almost playfully displayed. This evolution reveals how collective memory shapes our interpretation, where old symbols take on new emotional resonances. The image resonates with a tension between moral caution and the seductive allure of material wealth, engaging us on a subconscious level with unresolved cultural anxieties. This emblem, perpetually resurfacing, invites endless reinterpretation across time.