Burgervrouw en koppelaarster 1641

This engraving by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, dating from around the early 17th century, captures two distinct female figures, each laden with symbolic weight. On the left, we see a ‘Burgervrouw,’ adorned with pearls, a signifier of earthly vanity and material indulgence. But pearls, like the ‘vanitas’ symbols in Dutch Golden Age painting, carry an ancient association with tears and the fleeting nature of beauty. On the right, a ‘Koppelaarster,’ or matchmaker, holds what appears to be a coin, her index finger raised. This gesture echoes the iconography of Saint John the Baptist, traditionally seen as pointing towards divine truth, but here perverted, directed instead towards monetary exchange and moral corruption. Notice how this gesture resurfaces across time, stripped of its sacred meaning, now signifying deceit. The juxtaposition of these figures is not merely a depiction of social types, but a psychological mirror reflecting our subconscious desires and moral anxieties.