Hier ziet gy van verscheyde stof, 't begin is fin maar het end in grof 1743

Curator: This intriguing print, titled "Hier ziet gy van verscheyde stof, 't begin is fin maar het end in grof," or “Here you see various substances, the beginning is fine but the end is coarse," was created in 1743 by Gijsbert de Groot Keur and is housed at the Rijksmuseum. It's an engraving showcasing a series of amusing caricatures. What springs to mind when you first see it? Editor: Chaos, almost gleeful chaos. It feels like flipping through pages of old gag cartoons, with this lightly acidic humor. There's a dark undercurrent too, that title hints at some downfall awaiting the characters on display. Curator: The imagery definitely leans into satire. Note the figures are engaged in various, often absurd activities. What do you make of them, and that peculiar title? Editor: I think that the activities depicted—ladder climbing, musical playing, drinking—suggest ambition, celebration, enjoyment; typical human pursuits. The second part of the title implies these seemingly light-hearted actions will lead to an unfortunate end; coarse if you will, and it feels very allegorical. Almost like morality theater. Curator: Precisely! There's a sense of moral commentary interwoven with the humor. Each little scene feels loaded with potential interpretations about the follies of human nature and what might happen along the way. What would you highlight if we had to pinpoint a visual motif at play here? Editor: The contrast, perhaps. Between the ‘fine’ beginning, visually light and airy, and the implied ‘coarse’ ending; the way the artist uses visual storytelling is key. This piece encapsulates, in such compact form, a really vast set of cultural anxieties about behavior, status and its possible downfalls. What’s interesting, to me at least, is the way it feels just as culturally pertinent today as it must’ve done back in 1743! Curator: Agreed. And perhaps we’ve gained some insights as to why. Editor: Yes, It’s fascinating how such playful sketches can harbor such enduring, cautionary weight!