Amsterdamse visboer 1728

This engraving of an Amsterdam fishmonger was made by Bernard Picart, sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It depicts a tradesman who sold fresh-water fish at the ‘kleene Vismarkt by de Beurs’, or small fish market near the stock exchange. The image gives us a glimpse into the rapidly changing social and economic structures of the Dutch Golden Age. Amsterdam was a major hub for trade and commerce. The stock exchange, founded in 1602, was the first of its kind, and this print subtly acknowledges the way market forces shape everyday life. Picart may have made it to be sold as part of a series of prints depicting different professions and social types. Note how the fishmonger is carefully presented, with attention paid to his clothing and posture. To understand this image better, historians might look at period maps, market records, and studies of dress and commerce in Amsterdam. Such resources would enable us to better understand the everyday life of people in the Dutch Republic.