Aanbieden van een geschenk 1740 - 1760

Jan Caspar Philips made this print, titled "Offering a Gift," sometime in the 18th century. During this period, the Dutch Republic was a major center for trade and culture, but also a society marked by strict social hierarchies. This image depicts a couple in what appears to be a domestic interior, exchanging gifts. The act of giving gifts here isn’t merely a personal exchange, but part of a larger social contract, especially regarding marriage and status. The inscription makes it clear that the gifts seal their commitment to marriage. The couple is carefully posed within a domestic interior, which reflects the period's emphasis on private life and the home as a site of social performance. Philips captures a moment laden with societal expectations, presenting marriage not just as a union of individuals, but as a public affirmation of social order.