Eerste vertoning (deel een) 1660

This is ‘Eerste vertoning (deel een)’ by Henrik Jordis, an intriguing text from the Dutch Golden Age, though undated. Its presence in the Rijksmuseum suggests that it has value as both a cultural and historical artifact. This illustrated text creates meaning through its visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations, and we must ask what specific features of Dutch culture might have influenced it? The 17th century in the Netherlands was marked by economic prosperity and extensive artistic patronage. Consider how the relative affluence of the Dutch Republic allowed for the flourishing of arts and sciences. To understand the meaning of the artwork, we, as historians, might explore archives of personal papers to better understand how the work was received at the time. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context, and this text is no exception.