Drie mansportretten 1500 - 1600

This tiny, anonymous print depicts three men and resides here in the Rijksmuseum. Although undated, it was likely produced somewhere in the Netherlands during the 16th century. The men’s clothing and headwear offer clues as to their social status. During this period, sumptuary laws dictated what different social classes could wear. The apparent quality of their garments suggests they are members of the middle or upper classes. It is worth asking, therefore, who were these men and why were they portrayed together? One interpretation is that the print depicts members of a local guild or civic guard. Guilds played an important social and economic role in early modern Europe, and these men may have been important figures in the local community. Without further information it is impossible to be sure, but the print reminds us of the importance of understanding the social and institutional contexts in which images were made and consumed. By consulting historical records, we can learn more about the lives and identities of these men and the world they inhabited.