Selling Fish at Scheveningen (Vente de Poisson a Schevelinghe [sic]) after the painting in the collection of the Comte de Vence 1705 - 1762

This print, "Selling Fish at Scheveningen," was created by Quentin Pierre Chedel, an 18th-century French engraver. Chedel made it after a painting owned by the Comte de Vence. The scene depicts a bustling fish market on the beach at Scheveningen, now a seaside district of The Hague. In the 18th century, the Dutch Republic was a major maritime power, and fishing was a crucial part of its economy and culture. This image offers a glimpse into the lives of the working class, showing men and women engaged in the labor of selling fish. Notice the contrast between the working people on the beach and the wealthy individuals arriving in carriages, or on horseback. Chedel's print reveals the class divisions that characterized Dutch society at the time, while also highlighting the central role of women in the fishing trade. The print serves as a reminder of the complex social and economic forces at play in 18th-century Europe, where the sea was both a source of life and a site of labor.