Ganzenbord met diervoorstellingen 17th century

This is an educational board game featuring animals, made in the Netherlands. What can it tell us about social and cultural history? The game presents a fascinating insight into the worldview of its time. Look at how the animal kingdom is depicted, not just as a collection of species, but as a reflection of human society. The game normalizes the European perspective as it imposes a hierarchical structure onto the natural world, reflecting the social classes back in Europe. The Rijksmuseum, where this game is housed, is itself an institution with a history. It's a repository of cultural heritage, shaping our understanding of the past through curated collections. Analyzing this game within the museum's collection encourages us to see how such cultural products both reflected and reinforced the social norms of their time. Historians can use sources like old textbooks, trading company records, and even literature to better understand the context surrounding the game's creation. Ultimately, this game reveals how art is always embedded in a web of social relations, cultural assumptions, and institutional power.