Man met knapzak volgt vrouw met kind 1620 - 1664

Stefano della Bella made this etching, "Man met knapzak volgt vrouw met kind," in the 17th century. We see a man with a knapsack following a woman and child across a landscape. The image speaks to themes of travel and perhaps displacement common in the 17th century, a period marked by war, religious conflict, and economic hardship across Europe. Della Bella, working in Italy and France, captured scenes of everyday life alongside grand courtly events. The Rijksmuseum’s collection provides a context for understanding how artists like Della Bella both reflected and shaped perceptions of social life. We might ask, for example, how this image contributes to the visual representation of ordinary people within a broader artistic culture that often celebrated the elite. Further research into the social and economic conditions of 17th-century Europe, coupled with an understanding of printmaking's role in disseminating images, can enrich our appreciation of this seemingly simple scene.