Koopman, zeeman, soldaat en boer 1850 - 1881

Curator: Here we have “Koopman, zeeman, soldaat en boer,” or “Merchant, Sailor, Soldier, and Farmer.” It’s an intriguing Dutch Golden Age print, made with woodcut techniques sometime between 1850 and 1881 by Dirk Noothoven van Goor. What strikes you about it at first glance? Editor: A distinct charm – like a well-loved children’s book illustration. The scenes are small, neat, orderly—little worlds within worlds. The texture seems almost tactile; it makes you want to run your finger across the page. There is an air of quaint industry about each tiny scene. Curator: The artist clearly wanted to showcase various traditional occupations, presenting each in a neat, almost idealized, way. This "magazine print for the youth" suggests a desire to instill values. Each occupation is represented with telling detail: the merchant trading behind a barred fence, the sailor with a great mooring buoy. Editor: It's fascinating how those symbols work on us now, isn’t it? The "barred fence" for the merchant evokes thoughts about trade as both free and constrained; and it reminds us of ideas about merchants in art throughout time. And, the sailor has an outsized mooring buoy, but one gets the impression of restriction, more than the high seas. I sense that each miniature has encoded values about life's responsibilities, the Dutch Golden Age's Protestant work ethic. Curator: I agree—we feel this idea strongly. Consider also that those occupations represent vital roles within a community: the trade, the sea, defense, and agriculture. But the smallness of the scale seems so modest. Editor: Yes, modesty. It gives one a sense of accessibility. Nothing bombastic or showy, yet monumental in its impact. What a fascinating little keyhole into history, with lingering effects even now. Curator: A thoughtful overview for the audience indeed. I believe we've unearthed some genuine treasures together in this small print.