De volwassenheid 1680 - 1704

Cornelis Dusart created this print titled, De volwassenheid, sometime between 1660 and 1704. Here we see a shadowy interior, a table laden with coins, bags, and ledgers, around which three figures are gathered. It's hard to miss the commentary on the emerging merchant class and its relationship to ideas of adulthood, labor, and perhaps even greed. Dusart deftly captures the nuances of human behavior, particularly the relationship between age, labor, and value. The older man, possibly the master, inspects the coins with a practiced eye, while the younger woman diligently counts. A third figure lurks in the background. This work provides a lens through which to examine the economic structures of 17th century Dutch society and invites us to reflect on our own relationship to work, money, and the complex negotiations of power inherent in such interactions. It is a mirror reflecting our own negotiations with labor, value, and the ever-elusive concept of adulthood.