De verdrijving van Sorgheloos 1541

Curator: Immediately striking, wouldn’t you say? Like stumbling into a domestic squabble, but amplified. Editor: Quite right. What we're observing is Cornelis Anthonisz.'s "The Expulsion of Carelessness," an engraving from 1541, part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. It depicts a rather tumultuous scene rendered in meticulous detail. Curator: Tumultuous is the perfect word. There's such a concentrated flurry of action around the figure labelled "Sorgheloos," or Carelessness, and all rendered in these very precise lines. Is that supposed to be humor? It feels more anxious than funny. Editor: Anxiety certainly permeates. The composition leads the eye in a jagged dance across the scene. Notice how the figures representing "Poverty" and "Want" literally chase Carelessness out, armed with household objects. It is very much of its time – a didactic narrative about the perils of negligence. Curator: Absolutely. There's that broken chair labelled "Aermoe de," and "Welde" hovering at the doorway. And the expressions are priceless—pure panic on the face of "Carelessness" as he clutches a small child. Editor: It's worth noting the technique. The dense network of lines creates shadows and texture, giving depth to what could easily be a flat, moralizing tale. See how the architecture provides a theatrical backdrop, framing the action. It reminds one of a stage play. Curator: A stage play with extremely sharp edges! Even the architectural details, those almost Escher-like buildings glimpsed through the window, contribute to the overall sense of unease and entrapment. Editor: And the visual pun—a spear pierces through the open space above the head of "Sorgheloos", underscoring the stakes in this rather brutal morality tale. It brings to mind contemporary prints about vices and virtues. Curator: The sheer visual intensity in Anthonisz's engraving makes its argument—that we should be circumspect and ever diligent to ward off the disaster of neglect—impossible to ignore, and somewhat terrifying to be honest. Editor: Yes, this journey into this cautionary tale by Cornelis Anthonisz, offers us a glimpse of social values while testing the boundaries of the engraving technique. Curator: I leave a little unnerved but newly committed to putting away all clutter at home.