Wandelend paar vergezeld door putti 1708 - 1780

Editor: This is "Wandelend paar vergezeld door putti," or "Walking Couple Accompanied by Putti" by Jacob Houbraken, dating from somewhere between 1708 and 1780. It's currently at the Rijksmuseum. The whole scene has a kind of whimsical quality. What’s your interpretation? Curator: Ah, yes. Whimsical is a fine word. But for me, it evokes a bittersweet memory, perhaps because of its setting. It has a stage-like quality to it. As though our couple is starring in a play for our pleasure and insight. Have you seen plays like that before, in life? The backdrop tells a story of nature meeting with something classical, perhaps even utopian with its clear skies and structure resting on the horizon. Even Cupid and his putti show how innocence is playful, yet, as adults we can’t ever seem to retrieve it. It begs the question, what is on their path forward? Editor: So, you are saying this piece is like a chapter in the walking couple’s own narrative? Curator: Absolutely, it also explores those common feelings and the story we all face. Where do you suppose they are headed? More importantly, are they in control of their trajectory? That ornate oval reminds us, someone framed their moment. Their path. That observer could very well be each of us. Editor: That’s true, the frame really makes it feel like we're looking at a fleeting moment, preserved somehow. Almost like a snow globe. Curator: Precisely! And, in the midst of these uncertain and possibly manufactured constructs, where is one supposed to look? Is there some element of authenticity, maybe only accessible by our feelings. Jacob has a true sense of his time period; even that ornate oval says much about this era. The drawing offers such interesting and sometimes contradictory symbols. Don't you agree? Editor: It is very thought-provoking. I'll never look at strolling couples the same way. Thanks so much! Curator: My pleasure. It is through the sharing of thoughts and reflection, just as we’ve shared, that this piece really lives.