Spotprent in Leidse studentenalmanak, 1855 1855

This is a print made in 1855 by Abraham Henricus de Balbian Verster for the Leiden student almanac. It presents a series of humorous vignettes, likely depicting the escapades and misadventures of student life. Looking at the image, we can interpret the artist’s visual codes and cultural references in relation to the social and institutional context of the time. Consider the position of Leiden University, the oldest in the Netherlands, and the role of student culture in shaping social norms. The scenes depicted – pranks, drinking, and encounters with danger – could be a commentary on the privileges and excesses associated with student life in mid-19th century Netherlands. Is the artist celebrating or critiquing these behaviours? Understanding this artwork requires research into the history of student culture, the social hierarchy of Dutch society, and the function of university almanacs as both records and shapers of collective identity. Through historical contextualization, we reveal the complex ways in which art reflects and comments on its contemporary world.