Drinkende boeren in een herberg 1705

Willem de Broen made this print of peasants drinking in a tavern, sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century. Prints like this one depicting everyday life were very popular at the time, and the image plays into existing perceptions about country life. As we can see here, De Broen represents the peasants as unruly. The tavern is dark, and the peasants are literally supported by alcohol. The artist used the surroundings and specific elements of the composition to create meaning, and the audience of the time would know that the artist was not being serious here. These were visual codes used to create a humorous effect. Prints are helpful to us as social historians. These images, along with archival material, illuminate how different social classes perceived each other, and how that perception was reflected in art.