Oude man met baard 1716 - 1789

Pieter Lyonet made this image of an old man with a beard using etching. Lyonet was a Dutch natural history artist working in the 18th century. This etching is of interest as it gives the viewer a sense of the cultural interest in age and wisdom during the period. This was the age of enlightenment, and, as such, society revered knowledge and learning. The man is dressed in an informal way which suggests a member of the bourgeois classes, and it is therefore probable that this is a portrait of a scholar. Images such as this remind us of the important work done by art historians in understanding the significance of images such as this; they might study the fashions and social mores of the time to give context to the picture. The picture gives us a glimpse into the values of Dutch society at the time.