De Fransman en de Hollander, 1673 1673 - 1674

Editor: This engaging, though somewhat crude, pen and ink sketch on toned paper is titled "De Fransman en de Hollander", or "The Frenchman and the Dutchman," and it dates from 1673 or 1674. I see two distinct groups of people separated by a table laden with food and what looks like cheeses, but I don't understand what's happening. How would you interpret this scene? Curator: Given the date, 1673-1674, and the pointed title, this image clearly engages with the Franco-Dutch War. These seemingly jovial figures, split along national lines, likely represents the political tensions of the time. Note the Dutch figure occupied with counting his gains while the French character reaches for them. Editor: Ah, it's a satire! I see the war, now. Are they actually counting spoils of war on the table? What else can we read from their dress and poses? Curator: Precisely. Consider the garb and activities – the figures’ dress code signals national identity and wealth, while the table with victuals visually highlights resources at stake. The figures on either side are not equal - look how one group extends behind the picture frame! Does this strike you as glorifying the Dutch, or offering critique? Editor: I think the work is mostly glorifying Dutch "success." There's that lone soldier looking over, but the people behind the Dutchman all seem relaxed and comfortable. Are such satirical sketches common in personal sketchbooks during wartime? Curator: Absolutely! Cheap, reproducible images played a crucial role in shaping public opinion during the 17th century. What is fascinating, however, is that such an image appears to exist within a private sketchbook – indicating how deeply ingrained these national rivalries were even in individual, personal lives. And consider, who made it? Editor: I never would have recognized the socio-political elements on my own! Thank you. This puts the artwork and the setting in an important political light. Curator: And I appreciate your keen eye to question who is included, and what each is doing - the beginning of good historical contextualizing!