Listig Jantje c. 1843 - 1920

Curator: Today we’re looking at Hermann van der Moolen’s "Listig Jantje," which roughly translates to "Sly Johnny," dating back to somewhere between 1843 and 1920. It's a print, resembling a comic strip. What are your first impressions? Editor: Utter chaos in watercolour! I mean, just look at it— a cascade of silly vignettes packed onto one page. It's like a nursery rhyme gone wild, with wind-up toys, naughty children, and a touch of dark humor bubbling underneath. Curator: The sequential layout and use of text anchors it firmly within the tradition of narrative art. Observe how Van der Moolen employs colour sparingly, highlighting key figures and actions while maintaining an overall tonal unity. The composition clearly divides the scene into distinct moments in a chain of events. Editor: Oh, absolutely. It’s like a Victorian-era meme before memes were a thing. Each panel is a perfectly bite-sized gag, escalating in absurdity, though a tad nonsensical. What’s with the kid being dunked headfirst into a cauldron? Morbid! Curator: Indeed, the print blends genre-painting with elements of folk-art, reflecting social anxieties through playful exaggeration. Notice the repetition of certain motifs - the goose, the keys, the boy. This underscores a structural rigidity, a formula adhered to despite the apparent whimsy. Editor: Those mischievous keys are really tickling me though! Maybe they unlock the id? They cause a load of trouble, I must say! But, honestly, seeing art with this kind of mischievous and lighthearted energy feels like a lovely surprise. Makes you wonder about Van der Moolen’s impish side, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely. His approach exemplifies how formal constraints can enhance imaginative narrative, creating a self-contained world, and prompting viewers to examine latent symbolic resonances. Editor: Well, that's me seeing the lighter side of what may be more. Who would think you could get so much out of looking at what seems like a child’s book illustration!