De advocaten 1894 - 1959

Curator: This intriguing print, “De Advocaten” or “The Lawyers,” likely from around the turn of the 20th century, utilizes ink to create a commentary on the legal profession. What's your initial reaction to it? Editor: It feels like a political cartoon – but each vignette tells a slightly different story. Almost like a storyboard, perhaps making fun of the law. What can you tell me about the symbols being used? Curator: Ah, indeed. Look at the scales of justice, always present but perhaps... unbalanced? Each scene seems to depict a different aspect of legal dealings, highlighting potential flaws or absurdities within the system. The lawyers are drawn with very heavy dark features and large robes. Consider these exaggerated caricatures as vessels of societal anxieties regarding power. Do they remind you of other images? Editor: Now that you point it out, they're portrayed rather negatively. Is that commentary reflective of the era, a jab at the establishment? Are the details of clothing or background important? Curator: Absolutely, this artist uses the readily recognizable garb of lawyers - dark robes, high hats - to signify authority, but then undermines that authority through their comical depictions. Each panel tells a story, contributing to an overall narrative that challenges blind faith in the legal system. Editor: This makes me consider the public sentiment during this period; you mention anxiety – did society feel unheard? Curator: Precisely! It suggests a cultural memory of times where justice may not have been blind, but swayed by influence or, perhaps, outright incompetence. What will people think when they view it today, in another time? Editor: It seems these images remain topical – legal issues still bring up great stress in the lives of ordinary people today! Curator: And so the visual symbols maintain their emotional power! By tapping into anxieties and common cultural perceptions, the artist ensures their message, however pointed, resonates across time.