Brillenverkoper en een oude vrouw 1723 - 1789

This small print by Jacob Hoolaart depicts an itinerant glasses salesman, visiting a rural dwelling, his wares displayed to a woman at her doorstep, while her companion looks on. The spectacles on offer here are more than mere optical aids; they represent insight, wisdom, and the revelation of hidden truths. Consider how such eyewear appears in Jan van Eyck’s “Arnolfini Portrait,” in which the convex mirror embodies expanded perception. Here, the glasses seller is a figure who offers the potential for clarity. His presence evokes the archetype of the traveling sage who brings knowledge to the uninitiated, a motif repeated throughout history, from ancient oracles to the peddlers of enlightenment in Renaissance fairs. The psychological impact of this image hinges on our own desire for understanding, for seeing the world more clearly. The seller's presence, therefore, is a potent reminder of our shared quest for clarity, echoed through time.