De dwerg Hans van Groten hoven Baron van Krulhaar, 1720 1718 - 1720

Pieter van Buysen Jr. made this etching, "De dwerg Hans van Groten hoven Baron van Krulhaar," in 1720. During the early 18th century, Europe saw a surge in publications critiquing social norms and political figures, often through satire. This piece presents a figure whose exaggerated features challenge the viewer. The baron's large wig and diminutive stature can be seen as a commentary on the aristocracy and social status. The figure's identity as a "dwarf" intersects with the period's complex attitudes towards physical difference, using it as a tool for social commentary. Illustrations such as this one acted as a mirror, reflecting and sometimes distorting the values and perceptions of Dutch society. How does this image play with the themes of power, identity, and representation? What does it tell us about the social anxieties of the time?