The Curiosity Seller
Cornelis de Man captures the 17th-century version of a traveling salesman in this lively Baroque scene. A charismatic vendor shows off his exotic wares to a captivated audience, pointing dramatically toward a stuffed crocodile hanging from the ceiling—a classic 'curiosity' of the era. A wealthy woman in a shimmering silk dress examines a rare shell, while a man kneels to inspect a basket of treasures and wide-eyed children look on in wonder. It’s a bustling snapshot of the Dutch Golden Age obsession with collecting strange objects from around the world, turning a simple sales pitch into a theatrical event.