Toneeldecor: De Nieuwe Tuin 1760 - 1765

Jan Punt created this stage design, "Toneeldecor: De Nieuwe Tuin," sometime in the 18th century. During this time, the Dutch Republic experienced significant cultural shifts, with theater playing a crucial role in shaping social values and national identity. In this carefully rendered garden scene, we see figures dressed in what was then fashionable attire; they are frozen in a moment that is both performative and intimate. The garden is manicured, controlled and distinctly upper class. What we don’t see are the gardeners who would have maintained it, the serving staff who would have provided refreshments, and the enslaved people who enabled the entire economy upon which such leisure depended. As you consider Punt's design, think about how these spaces reflect and reinforce social hierarchies, defining who has access to beauty and leisure. How might the unseen labor that sustains these scenes challenge our understanding of beauty and privilege?