Mensen krabben zichzelf tijdens een processie door de stad 1867

Editor: Okay, so this is "Mensen krabben zichzelf tijdens een processie door de stad" – which translates to "People scratching themselves during a procession through the city." It's an engraving in ink on paper by Henri François Schaefels from 1867. It’s so…chaotic! It’s hard to focus on one point with all those figures. What stands out to you most in this piece? Curator: It’s delightfully weird, isn't it? That title… the artist really nails the feeling of being stuck in a crowd on a hot day. The etching style adds to the intensity. I think it reveals more than just a historical procession; it's more about that deeply human discomfort we've all felt. Does that resonance surprise you at all? Editor: Absolutely! I was expecting a more straightforward depiction of a religious event, but the focus on this… universal itchiness… is unexpected and hilarious. Curator: Exactly! Look closer: The architecture behind them is rendered with care, and the contrast brings it all alive. It reminds us that history isn't always solemn. Sometimes, it's just a bunch of itchy people in fancy clothes, haha! What do you think this unexpected candor is all about? Editor: Maybe a bit of social commentary? Undercutting the pomposity of the procession? Curator: Perhaps! Or simply pointing out that even in the grandest moments, we're still just human, battling the absurdities of being alive. Editor: That’s a much more freeing way to look at this work. I initially misjudged it because the title threw me off. But now I feel like I can more accurately read the layers within the piece and find a shared and vulnerable space within a procession that took place in 1867. Curator: Exactly! That discomfort binds us all. Next time you're stuck in a crowd, remember this engraving!