Marriage Contract
Unknown Artist
1761
Medium
Paper
Dimensions
12 5/8 x 8 in. (32.1 x 20.3 cm)
Classification
Marriage contract
Culture
Dutch
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. T. Bache Bleecker, 1941
Accession Number
41.104.2
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of 18th-century Dutch colonial life with *Marriage Contract* (1761), a delicate paper document measuring 12 5/8 x 8 inches. Created by an unknown artist, this artifact captures the formalities of matrimony in a time when such contracts were essential legal and social agreements, often adorned with calligraphy or simple decorative elements to mark their significance. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, the piece reflects Dutch cultural influences in early America, likely from communities in New Netherland (modern-day New York) or surrounding a...