Vrouw en man bij juwelier 1744

John Faber the Younger created this print, “Vrouw en man bij juwelier”, sometime in the first half of the 18th century, a period marked by burgeoning mercantile activity. At first glance, we see what appears to be an ordinary scene of a couple at a jeweler's. But look again. Consider the power dynamics at play. The woman, adorned in finery, is the object of the transaction. The male jeweler, with his wares, and her male companion, presumably her husband, negotiate her worth through these precious stones. The third, younger woman in the background, reminds us of the labor that underpins this transaction; without her serving, this display of wealth would not be possible. The print invites us to reflect on the social structures that dictate value and worth, both of objects and of individuals. The work serves as a potent reminder of how gender, class, and commerce intersect.