De dwerg Rosmarinus van Schaaphuisen als herder, 1720 1718 - 1720

Fopje Folkema created this etching in 1720, depicting Rosmarinus van Schaaphuisen as a shepherd. During the 18th century, the Netherlands was a society marked by rigid social hierarchies, and this image plays with those notions through satire. Folkema critiques the elite by portraying a dwarf, an individual on the margins of society, in the pastoral role of a shepherd, one typically associated with innocence and simplicity. The exaggerated features and the figure’s proud stance offer a commentary on vanity and social climbing. The text at the bottom adds to the satirical nature of the work, providing additional layers of meaning. It makes us consider questions of representation and social critique; questioning who is included and who is excluded from idealized representations. Ultimately, this image invites us to reflect on how social identities are constructed and challenged through art. What emotional and personal experiences are wrapped up in the ways we portray one another?