Blad E: achtste praalwagen, 1767 1767

Editor: This is "Blad E: achtste praalwagen," a drawing from 1767 by Lieven Wouters. It seems to be a pen and engraving work depicting two elaborate floats or parade wagons. They have so many figures and symbols, I feel lost trying to decode their meaning. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It is intriguing. We see not just parade floats but also carefully constructed political statements. Given its context, how do you think these “floats” might have functioned in 18th-century society? Were they purely celebratory, or something more? Editor: I suppose more. The way the figures are presented on high and with such symbolism—it suggests they carried a message, perhaps about power or social values? Curator: Precisely. Think of the floats as mobile stages, actively shaping public opinion. Notice the allegorical figures—how do you think the average viewer would have interpreted them? Consider the use of classical imagery mixed with contemporary references. Editor: So, they are sort of speaking two languages at once - high art and popular culture? And that the viewers needed to be literate in both. Otherwise the statement is missed, or misconstrued. Curator: Exactly. It demonstrates the carefully constructed visual language of the time. Now look closer – do you see any symbols that directly reference specific political figures or events of the era? Who exactly is it trying to appeal to or influence, and towards what ends? Editor: I confess, without deeper knowledge I would be lost as to how to decode it fully, I would need an extensive handbook about the social and political life. I appreciate your historical perspective on how these elaborate images operated in society. Curator: And I am interested by your questioning of how people consume artworks and media in the absence of an awareness of the historical and social landscape from which it arose. We can both explore that idea further.