Titelblad van het pamflet: Verklaert dit vijsioen, en wilt het wel besien het is gedroomt seer coen, sestien hondert vijftien, 1615 1615

This is the title page of a pamphlet, made around 1615 by an anonymous Dutch artist. It's an engraving – a printmaking technique where lines are cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The precision of the lines allows for intricate detail, and here, that detail is used to convey a powerful political message. Notice the bales of hay, labeled "Spanish Tyranny" and "Inquisition". The horses, overburdened by these symbolic burdens, are contrasted with the figure of a contemplative scholar. The printing press was a relatively new technology at this time, and engravings like this were a potent form of social commentary. The act of disseminating these images was itself a form of resistance, a way of challenging authority through the mass production of dissent. So, as you look at this small but impactful print, consider the labor involved: not just the artist's skill, but the many hands that would have been involved in its production and distribution, all contributing to a wider conversation about freedom and oppression.