Dorpsstraat met hooiwagen before 1676

This is a print titled Dorpsstraat met hooiwagen, made by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. The print depicts a village scene with a hay wagon, foregrounding images of labor and rural life. The wagon laden with hay and pulled by livestock emerges as a powerful symbol, echoing the classical motif of the "carroccio," a wagon that carries the symbols of civic or religious authority. We can see an echo in triumphal arches, where such processions glorified military victory. These motifs transcend their original contexts, reappearing in various forms throughout art history. Consider how the carroccio morphed from a symbol of communal strength into one of agricultural abundance, reflecting shifting cultural priorities. There is a deeper psychological resonance, too; the wagon represents a harvest but also the cyclical nature of life. The very act of pulling, whether by animals or humans, evokes the eternal struggle and rhythms of existence. This deeply entrenched image resurfaces, taking on new layers of meaning with each generation.