Twee jonge mannen met fles en dienblad after 1728

Curator: Here we have “Two Young Men with Bottle and Tray,” an engraving created after 1728, based on an artwork by Francois Boucher, residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s stark, isn’t it? Almost minimalist, with such a limited tonal range. And that single light source really throws those figures into sharp relief. Curator: It certainly presents an interesting contrast. One figure, perhaps a domestic servant, is standing stiffly with a turban, holding a tray. The other reclines in a basket. This genre scene gives a hint into the social structure of that period. Editor: Reclining IN the basket, though! Not beside, not near. Inside! Visually, the curvature of the basket and the way his body almost spills over is what catches my eye. How the lines flow there. Curator: Indeed. This image captures the everyday life, reflecting a particular viewpoint on servitude and leisure of the elite in the 18th century. Consider the role of printmaking then – it was a way to disseminate these sorts of images widely. Editor: That dissemination, for sure, would have mattered more than, say, capturing a likeness or depth of detail. Just think, if the tray or bottle in this print had a different weight or volume, the narrative could easily change. The medium itself invites you to think. Curator: Absolutely. Printmaking democratized images to an extent, allowing a broader public to engage with these constructed versions of daily life and power dynamics. The engraving, by circulating and replicating Boucher’s work, solidifies his role in perpetuating such views. Editor: Looking at how these sharp lines delineate clothing and skin, and how those forms either open up with light, or are filled with cross-hatched shading – it has an arresting beauty. Despite the simplicity of it. Curator: What you highlight certainly shows the effectiveness of line and contrast in the baroque era. Editor: Exactly, there’s more than what it obviously pictures in this image! Curator: It invites further consideration to explore, that's for sure.