The Description of an Engraving Done by A. Van Ostade in 1653
Mikayla Russell
Hist 1160
October 1, 2013
History 1160 Assignment One:
Chapter 4: European Material Life, 1600-1800
Document One: Page 96
A Meal of Gruel in a Dutch Peasant Family is an engraving done by A. Van Ostade in Paris in 1653. During this time era, there were many wars taking place, like the Thirty Years War, and this time was in the middle of the age of exploration. Since most of the wealth of the Dutch Republic, as well as all over Europe, was going towards funding these great trade journeys and for setting up settlements across the ocean, the peasants back in Europe, like the Dutch, were working hard to make money, only for it to go to these certain voyages. Most of them were starving, show in the etching of the family eating gruel instead of hearty foods. Since the artist lived in Paris, he probably saw this all the time around him, if not felt it himself. In my opinion, the artist is trying to convey the harsh truth of what was happening in this time frame. Since not everyone could be nobles or wealthy landowners, Van Ostade was probably showing what the majority of the population was going through. This would have been see by the people passing by on the streets, but probably not seen by the wealthy. As a reader, this engraving puts the events of the century into context. Teachers and professors lecture about all the wars and bloodshed due to the famous wars, but rarely go in depth into life as a peasant. It is important to know both sides to a story to fully understand the whole picture. The events in this particular year (1653) would have been described very differently depending on whose point of view you were looking from. From the nobles, it was a time of exploration and new scientific discoveries, but from the peasants, it was a time of hardship and bad living standards. I believe the idea behind studying this is to show and symbolize the idea that there are always two sides to every story. Word count: 330
Document Two: Page
Hist 1160
October 1, 2013
History 1160 Assignment One:
Chapter 4: European Material Life, 1600-1800
Document One: Page 96
A Meal of Gruel in a Dutch Peasant Family is an engraving done by A. Van Ostade in Paris in 1653. During this time era, there were many wars taking place, like the Thirty Years War, and this time was in the middle of the age of exploration. Since most of the wealth of the Dutch Republic, as well as all over Europe, was going towards funding these great trade journeys and for setting up settlements across the ocean, the peasants back in Europe, like the Dutch, were working hard to make money, only for it to go to these certain voyages. Most of them were starving, show in the etching of the family eating gruel instead of hearty foods. Since the artist lived in Paris, he probably saw this all the time around him, if not felt it himself. In my opinion, the artist is trying to convey the harsh truth of what was happening in this time frame. Since not everyone could be nobles or wealthy landowners, Van Ostade was probably showing what the majority of the population was going through. This would have been see by the people passing by on the streets, but probably not seen by the wealthy. As a reader, this engraving puts the events of the century into context. Teachers and professors lecture about all the wars and bloodshed due to the famous wars, but rarely go in depth into life as a peasant. It is important to know both sides to a story to fully understand the whole picture. The events in this particular year (1653) would have been described very differently depending on whose point of view you were looking from. From the nobles, it was a time of exploration and new scientific discoveries, but from the peasants, it was a time of hardship and bad living standards. I believe the idea behind studying this is to show and symbolize the idea that there are always two sides to every story. Word count: 330
Document Two: Page