Cartouche met allegorische voorstelling met Waarheid, schrijvende vrouw en hemelkaart 1736 - 1737

This allegorical print was made in 1757 by Jan Caspar Philips, and it presents a complex vision of truth and knowledge. Philips was working during the Enlightenment, a period characterized by an emphasis on reason and individualism, as well as the authority of science. In the print, we see ‘Truth’ writing on a celestial map as she is being watched over by a woman holding a mirror, allegorical for 'reflection.' Above, a radiant figure floats on clouds. The composition employs the visual language of the Enlightenment, with the cosmos functioning as a symbol of scientific inquiry and enlightenment values. The imagery suggests a world where knowledge is actively constructed and where women are central to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge. Philips here develops an alternative narrative by depicting women as active agents in the creation and preservation of knowledge, challenging the more traditional, passive representations of women. This piece acts as a reminder that knowledge is not simply discovered but is actively shaped by those who record it, and those who reflect upon it.