Public domain
A Pedlar Demonstrating his Wares
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The hawker, in the right foreground, plays a Jew’s harp – also called a trompe (or trump) – a primitive musical instrument. Although his wife tries to stop him, the man at the left is keen to buy such a trifle and reaches into his purse. In the 17th-century ‘Iemand trompen verkopen’ (to sell someone trumps) meant ‘to deceive someone’. Poor customer, he is buying a worthless piece of junk.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionCredit lineA Pedlar Demonstrating his Wares. c. 1608. David Vinckboons. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
