Chinese muzikanten 1682 - 1711

Editor: So, we’re looking at "Chinese Muzikanten," a print made between 1682 and 1711 by Pieter Schenk, here at the Rijksmuseum. It's an engraving depicting three figures outside what looks like a pagoda. The figures almost seem suspended in time and space; they appear somewhat comical, like characters from a play. What’s your take on this, considering the historical context? Curator: Well, isn’t it delicious? It's less about an accurate representation of China, and more about 17th-century European fascination - a rather playful, perhaps even slightly bonkers, interpretation. Pieter Schenk wasn't exactly aiming for documentary realism here, was he? Think of it as a costume party! What strikes you most about their attire? Editor: Definitely the hats! They’re so oversized and oddly shaped. Curator: Exactly! That exaggerated detail gives it this whimsical feel. But it also hints at something deeper - the limited understanding, perhaps even projection, that Europe had about China at the time. It's like glancing at another culture through a slightly smudged, very rose-tinted, window. Don't you find that poignant? Editor: I see what you mean! It makes you wonder what people will think of *our* representations of other cultures in a few centuries. It definitely has given me a lot to think about. Curator: Me too. Every artwork has a hidden history that speaks in the voice of an imperfect representation!