Koerier stapt van zijn paard voor een herberg 1668

Romeyn de Hooghe created this print, "Courier dismounts at an Inn," around the turn of the 18th century. It depicts a scene of daily life, but it also hints at the intricate web of communication and commerce that was crucial to the Dutch Golden Age. Notice how the courier, likely a man of some means given his horse, is the central figure. In this era, such roles were dominated by men, emphasizing their mobility and access to information. The inn represents a social space, where ideas and news could be exchanged alongside goods. De Hooghe's choice to depict this moment invites us to consider who had access to these networks. The working class, women, and people of color were often excluded. The print therefore not only documents a moment in time, but also subtly reveals the power dynamics of the period. It is a world of connections, but one where access was far from equally distributed.