Kinderspelen 1850 - 1870

Curator: "Kinderspelen," or "Children's Games," is an engraving on paper made by Hermanus Numan between 1850 and 1870, now held at the Rijksmuseum. What catches your eye about this print? Editor: It seems like a pretty straightforward depiction of children playing different games. It makes me think about how different childhood must have been back then, yet also how similar – kids are still kids, right? What’s your take on it? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider this work through the lens of social history. We see childhood activities represented, but who had access to such leisure? Look at the clothing, the implied open space. This speaks to a particular class, a particular social stratum. How does that contrast with the reality of child labor during that era? Editor: So, you’re saying this isn't just a charming scene but also a commentary on societal inequality? The rosy-cheeked innocence versus a harsher reality? Curator: Exactly! Consider also the Dutch Golden Age influence evident in the style, which harkens back to a period of immense wealth and colonial power. Are these games merely games, or do they subtly reflect the power dynamics and burgeoning capitalist spirit of the time? What kind of messages did art like this send to those who weren’t participating in such play? Editor: I never thought about it that way! So the artwork acts as a reflection of societal structures. It definitely sheds a new light on something that seemed so simple at first. Curator: Precisely! Art invites us to constantly re-evaluate, question assumptions, and explore the complexities of history and representation. The beautiful doesn’t exist without a conversation with the ugly, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely. Now I'm going to view all the playful depictions I find and their meaning for wider audiences from a new point of view.