De mens op veertigjarige leeftijd 1569 - 1575

Gerard van Groeningen made this engraving, "The Man at Forty," sometime in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century in the Netherlands. It depicts a man in his study surrounded by the tools of learning and contemplation. It's intriguing to consider this image within the context of the Dutch Golden Age, a time marked by unprecedented economic prosperity and intellectual flourishing. Here, visual codes suggest the importance of humanism and learning in Dutch society. We see our contemplative man with books, globes, and mathematical instruments. He is absorbed in thought, but also worldy. Through the window we can just make out a Dutch townscape. The border teems with references to nature and classical antiquity. The image is not only of a man, but of an ideal of civic life. By examining the wider culture of the Dutch Republic at this time, using resources such as historical texts, prints, and archival documents, we can gain a richer understanding of the social values and intellectual climate that shaped this image. After all, this image reflects the artist's understanding of the role of knowledge and wisdom in a well-lived life.