The result of speculation: Dutch peasants, burghers etc., buy worthless stock and lose their money in the share price boom of 1720. Etching, ca. 1720.

Date:
[1720?]
Reference:
811774i
Part of:
Groote tafereel der dwaasheid.
  • Pictures

About this work

Description

A landscape with, on the left, John Law seated in a chair resting on clouds and handing shares and papers to a crowd of people. In the lower left is Bombario, shown as a hunchback. A group of disappointed investors is depicted at the lower right. Various scenes in the background are symbolic references to the Wind Trade (short selling) (British Museum online catalogue)

On the right, a lunatic asylum (Dolhuys) receives two young man driven mad by their losses. Above, a castle in the air

Publication/Creation

[Amsterdam] : [publisher not identified], [1720?]

Physical description

1 print : etching ; platemark 28.9 x 38.8 cm

Lettering

Uytslag der wind negotie. 1. Siet hier Mynheer de directeur, D'onnooselen brengen in 't getreur ... 23. Hier hebt gy 't eynde van de klugt, Men bouwt kasteelen in de lugt. ... Below the image is etched a numbered key to 23 aspects of the print in Dutch verses set out in six columns, followed by a "Toegift"

References note

Frederik Muller, De nederlandsche geschiedenis in platen. Beredeneerde beschrijving van nederlandsche historieplaten, zinneprenten en historische kaarten, Amsterdam 1863, part 2, no. 3548 (13)
British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. 2, London 1954, no. 1652
Arthur H. Cole, The great mirror of folly (Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid). An economic-bibliographical study, Boston 1949, no. 13

Reference

Wellcome Collection 811774i

Notes

'Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid', Amsterdam, 1720, is a collection of literary and pictorial satires relating to the Dutch speculation bubble of 1720, which occurred simultaneously with the South Sea bubble and the Mississippi bubble involving John Law. This print is one of the many in that collection: see A.H. Cole, op. cit.

Type/Technique

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Where to find it

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