Erepoort bij het graf van de Actionisten, 1720 1720

This print, made in 1720 by an anonymous Dutch artist, depicts a monument meant to commemorate the collapse of the Mississippi Company, an early investment bubble. The print points to the social and economic conditions of its time. The image frames the financial scandal as a kind of triumphal procession. The architectural elements—the archway, the statuary, the framed allegorical scenes—evoke imperial power and national pride. But look closer, and you'll see this monument is dedicated to the “Actionisten,” the investors ruined by the crisis. The artist seems to mock the very idea of celebrating financial speculation. It critiques the institutions of early capitalism. To fully understand this print, we need to research the history of the Mississippi Company and the Dutch reaction to it. We can use sources like financial records, pamphlets, and personal letters to piece together the complex social context in which this artwork was made. Art is always contingent on these historical forces.