Mann an einem Tisch mit Krug und Pfeife sitzend 

Jacob van Strij created this drawing of a man at a table with a jug and pipe, but we don’t know exactly when. This drawing gives us a window into the social life of the Netherlands, likely in the late 1700s. Through detailed renderings of everyday objects like the jug, pipe, and simple furniture, Van Strij invites us to consider the routines and environments of ordinary people. Notice the man's simple clothing and weary posture, suggesting a life of labor and perhaps a moment of respite. The rise of genre scenes like this one reflected a growing interest in the lives of the common folk. It moves away from grand historical or mythological subjects. As historians, we might look into period records, literature, and other visual sources to better understand the social contexts that shaped artists’ interests. Art becomes a record, reflecting society’s changing values and the democratization of subject matter.