Zomer- en wintervreugd 1791 - 1812

Editor: Here we have "Zomer- en wintervreugd" or "Summer and Winter Joys", created sometime between 1791 and 1812. It's a print, using etching and engraving, by Hermanus van Lubeek, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It has an almost cartoonish quality to it, depicting contrasting summer and winter scenes. What strikes you most about the imagery in this print? Curator: What I find immediately engaging is the juxtaposition itself, the conscious pairing of summer and winter experiences. It isn't simply about seasons. It’s a commentary on the cyclical nature of life and enjoyment. Note the carriage in the summer scene versus the sleigh in the winter, vehicles for merriment adapted to their specific climate. This immediately recalls the concept of "memento mori" prevalent in the Dutch Golden Age. Can you detect that influence? Editor: The reminder of death being woven into images of pleasure? Is it that the joy is fleeting like the seasons? Curator: Precisely. Think about the figures too. They seem less individual portraits and more symbolic representations of societal roles – the well-to-do in their carriages and sleighs. Notice how both scenes depict people interacting in distinct ways depending on weather. Do you see a subtle class commentary embedded within these images, too? Editor: Yes, especially contrasting that with the farmers in the poetic verses inscribed under the summer scene. Curator: It highlights how experiences differ across society during these different times of year, reflecting social and economic disparities within this community. By observing such details and understanding symbols, this imagery connects with the human experience and its different facets. Editor: I never considered how much the contrast in setting could reveal deeper social meanings. Thank you for opening my eyes!