Tweede vertoning (deel twee) 1660

Editor: Here we have "Tweede vertoning (deel twee)" which roughly translates to "Second viewing (part two)," a drawing made around 1660 by Henrik Jordis. It's ink on paper, and housed right here in the Rijksmuseum. The Dutch Golden Age really nailed this clean, calligraphic style, didn’t they? It feels very formal, almost… legalistic. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Legalistic, hmm? I see what you mean, with that careful, almost obsessive script. But I wouldn't dismiss it as *just* formal. To me, the neatness is deceptive. This is a record of language – and language can build worlds, declare wars, even whisper love. It is like capturing fleeting thoughts in an exquisite little cage, isn't it? Editor: A cage, you say? Curator: Precisely! Do you read Dutch? What’s your take on the emotional weight of these words, beyond just their shape? Is it a proclamation, a lament, a bawdy limerick? I can't help but imagine the artist sweating over each curlicue, aware of the power he holds in his pen. I see a tension, my dear, a struggle between rigid control and unbridled… everything! It really seems to dance along the page. Editor: That’s a lovely idea, imagining him struggling! It makes it seem less intimidating. It would be quite exciting if it turned out to be a bawdy limerick! Curator: Yes! Well, it looks like we must explore further! Who knows what secrets this delicate little cage keeps!