Apen bezig met de windhandel, ca. 1720 1720

Around 1720, Matthijs Pool created this etching titled ‘Apen bezig met de windhandel,’ which translates to ‘Monkeys engaged in the wind trade.’ This satirical piece uses monkeys to critique the speculative financial practices of the time. It reflects the Dutch Republic's cultural and economic climate, particularly the obsession with quick profits and the dangers of speculative bubbles. The depiction of monkeys engaging in human activities comments on the irrationality and folly of the stock market frenzy. It's impossible to ignore the use of monkeys, as they carry charged associations related to race and colonialism during the 18th century. In this image, monkeys mimic human behavior, which raises unsettling questions about who is considered human and who is not. The print invites us to reflect on the human condition and the complex entanglements of trade, identity, and representation during this era. The artist has captured a scene filled with a chaotic energy that mirrors the social turbulence caused by the pursuit of wealth.