Man met hond in een bos Possibly 1630 - 1765

Anthonie Waterloo made this etching, titled "Man met hond in een bos", in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-17th century. Prints like this played an important role in shaping Dutch visual culture. As the Dutch Republic grew in wealth and influence, so did its middle class. Art collecting became a widespread hobby, but paintings were expensive. Prints offered a more affordable alternative, and artists like Waterloo found a ready market for landscapes, portraits, and scenes from everyday life. This image, with its detailed rendering of trees and foliage, speaks to a growing interest in the natural world. But it also reflects the social realities of the time. The man walking with his dog is likely a member of the merchant class, enjoying a leisurely stroll in the countryside. The Dutch Golden Age was a time of both prosperity and inequality, and images like this offer a glimpse into the lives of those who benefited most from the era's economic boom. To understand this work better, we can consult period maps, economic surveys, and social histories that shed light on the culture that produced it.