
Swipe through this selection of 15 folios to see depictions of various segments of 17th-century Dutch society.

A Pikeman
Part of the infantry, the pikeman’s orange sash alludes to his employment by the prince of Orange, commander of the Dutch military.

The King and Queen of Bohemia
Frederick V of Bohemia and Elizabeth Stuart ride before the stadholder Frederik Hendrik and Amalia van Solms.

A Lady and a Gentleman
This richly dressed couple makes music, symbolic of their harmonious relationship and good breeding.

Two Women at play
Battledore and shuttlecock, similar to badminton, was a popular courtly pastime at The Hague.

A Game of Pell-Mell
Frederick V prepares to strike a ball while two boys (perhaps two of the king’s sons) and Frederik Hendrik look on.

Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine
Three academically trained professionals—a lawyer, minister, and physician—are identified by their distinctive clothing.

Three Women and a Child
Lacemaking and embroidery afforded women the opportunity to work from home while still maintaining their household.

A Merchant and his Wife
Merchants, like the one seen gesturing to his goods and purse here, generated much of the Republic’s wealth.

A Herring Buss
The recently developed herring buss enabled fishermen to preserve fish on board, which maximized profits by reducing returns to port.

A Milkmaid
Milk, an important commodity at home and abroad, was chiefly made into butter and cheese, while buttermilk was used in linen bleaching.

A Passenger Ferry under Tow
People of differing backgrounds met and interacted with one another in the cramped quarters of passenger barges.

A Wind-powered Water Pump
Wind and the ubiquitous water in the Netherlands provided ample energy sources for construction and industry.

An Old Peasant Couple Dancing
Dancing peasants were a fixture of the kermis, an annual fair held in towns throughout the Netherlands.

Three Fishwives
Most fishmongers were women, often the wives or daughters of fishermen.

A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge
During winter, rich and poor alike enjoyed skating and sledding on the ice.

Enjoy your visit to "Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer" on view through January 18, 2016.

Swipe through this selection of 15 folios to see depictions of various segments of 17th-century Dutch society.

A Pikeman
Part of the infantry, the pikeman’s orange sash alludes to his employment by the prince of Orange, commander of the Dutch military.

The King and Queen of Bohemia
Frederick V of Bohemia and Elizabeth Stuart ride before the stadholder Frederik Hendrik and Amalia van Solms.

A Lady and a Gentleman
This richly dressed couple makes music, symbolic of their harmonious relationship and good breeding.

Two Women at play
Battledore and shuttlecock, similar to badminton, was a popular courtly pastime at The Hague.

A Game of Pell-Mell
Frederick V prepares to strike a ball while two boys (perhaps two of the king’s sons) and Frederik Hendrik look on.

Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine
Three academically trained professionals—a lawyer, minister, and physician—are identified by their distinctive clothing.

Three Women and a Child
Lacemaking and embroidery afforded women the opportunity to work from home while still maintaining their household.

A Merchant and his Wife
Merchants, like the one seen gesturing to his goods and purse here, generated much of the Republic’s wealth.

A Herring Buss
The recently developed herring buss enabled fishermen to preserve fish on board, which maximized profits by reducing returns to port.

A Milkmaid
Milk, an important commodity at home and abroad, was chiefly made into butter and cheese, while buttermilk was used in linen bleaching.

A Passenger Ferry under Tow
People of differing backgrounds met and interacted with one another in the cramped quarters of passenger barges.

A Wind-powered Water Pump
Wind and the ubiquitous water in the Netherlands provided ample energy sources for construction and industry.

An Old Peasant Couple Dancing
Dancing peasants were a fixture of the kermis, an annual fair held in towns throughout the Netherlands.

Three Fishwives
Most fishmongers were women, often the wives or daughters of fishermen.

A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge
During winter, rich and poor alike enjoyed skating and sledding on the ice.

Enjoy your visit to "Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer" on view through January 18, 2016.