Waat zothyd heerst / daar staat het zeer manschapen / Zo als deze prent verbeeld / in 't rijk der apen 1725 - 1780

This print, made in Amsterdam by Johannes Kannewet, visualizes a world turned upside down. The four scenes depict monkeys engaged in human activities, a common satirical trope in the Netherlands. The print ridicules various aspects of Dutch society, reflecting social tensions of the time. We see monkeys mismanaging finances, engaging in drunken revelry, and even mimicking religious instruction, perhaps commenting on the perceived moral failings of the Dutch Golden Age. The print's existence speaks to a vibrant print culture where social commentary, often biting, found a wide audience. Prints like these were part of a larger visual culture, consumed by a diverse public. To fully understand this artwork, historians turn to sources beyond the image itself, exploring period pamphlets, popular songs, and economic data to reconstruct the world in which it was created and consumed. The meaning of art, after all, is always rooted in its specific social and institutional context.