Floskaartjes 1848 - 1881

Editor: "Floskaartjes," attributed to Lutkie & Cranenburg and dating from 1848 to 1881, depicts a grid of small, hand-colored prints illustrating different social roles and figures. The style feels almost like a deck of cards intended for children. What insights can you share about its significance in its time? Curator: Well, first off it is crucial to view an artwork such as "Floskaartjes" not merely as a quaint relic but as a cultural artifact reflecting the social hierarchies and values of the 19th century. Consider, for example, how occupations and status are represented – Emperor, King, Hunter, Soldier, Farmer, Maid, Merchant, Skeleton. What do the choices and arrangements suggest about Dutch society's worldview, and its aims regarding the "correct" instruction and indoctrination of its young citizenry? Editor: It seems pretty didactic. What can we say about its public role? Curator: Exactly! How was imagery of this type circulated and consumed? The Rijksmuseum indicates this piece as a "print" or "drawing". How accessible were printed images to different social classes? Did mass production democratize art consumption or further entrench existing power structures through controlling what types of representations the general public sees? Also, are these people actually working, or are they instead costumed or depicted satirically? This would impact our interpretation, no? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered. It makes you think about the artist’s intent and the broader context. Curator: And the institutions – museums, printmakers, distributors – that helped to shape both the artwork and its audiences. What are other possibilities that these 'cards' were meant for? Did they teach morality or status, or something else? What did you learn about folk art or genre paintings after encountering this artwork? Editor: I am thinking about the relationship between folk art, children’s games, and social messaging!