De dwerg Groote Gardenier der Liefde kruidhoven als harlekijn, 1720 1716 - 1720

Anna Folkema created this print, "De dwerg Groote Gardenier der Liefde kruidhoven als harlekijn," around 1720. The initial impression is dominated by a framed figure, bordered with ornate flourishes and text. The contrasting tones of dark ink on the white ground create a stark, graphic quality. The figure of the dwarf is deliberately positioned as a spectacle. His body is a collection of semiotic codes that play with notions of status and identity. His harlequin attire, juxtaposed with his diminutive stature, challenges established meanings, blurring the lines between grandeur and the grotesque. The composition, with its rigid frame and detailed embellishments, serves not only as a visual boundary but also as a conceptual container. This sets the stage for examining the way this work engages with broader artistic and philosophical concerns about perception and representation in the 18th century. The very structure destabilizes conventional understandings of the body.