Spotprent op de toepassing van westerse begrippen in de oosterse maatschappij, 1870 1870

Curator: This drawing by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans is titled "Spotprent op de toepassing van westerse begrippen in de oosterse maatschappij," which translates to "Cartoon on the application of Western concepts in Eastern society." It dates back to 1870. Editor: Immediately, there’s this feeling of… distance. That railing separating the European figure from the women. The delicate, almost scratchy lines giving it this unsettled feeling. You can tell it is intended as criticism. Curator: Indeed. The scene depicts a Western man leaning on a veranda railing, seemingly addressing two seated women of Asian descent. It uses satire to comment on colonial imposition and the perceived absurdity of applying Western ideals of property and governance in a completely different cultural context. The architectural setting blends local styles with what appear to be Western adaptations. Editor: The text in the lower part seems to heighten this sense of the alienating encounter between cultures. It feels heavy with implication, like we're eavesdropping on a very pointed conversation. Are they agreeing with each other or sharply disagreeing, the drawing is filled with friction and disagreement. Curator: Precisely. The dialogue suggests the colonial administrator’s condescension is met with subtle resistance or questioning by the local inhabitants. It draws attention to power dynamics, highlighting a forced transition toward Western values. Schmidt Crans was likely part of a larger discourse on colonialism, reflecting perhaps skepticism and questioning about it by his readers. Editor: And the artist’s technique. This really reminds me of woodblock printing of the time, a cheap easily distributed media used as an extremely popular means of cultural transmission. Also these detailed figures inhabiting this landscape with so many little plants that convey it isn’t exactly home to them. It looks exotic, perhaps the artist never was in it. Curator: An excellent point. Using such accessible and cheap mediums to get his message across. And indeed these prints helped shape and also, reflect public sentiment, and I suspect Schmidt Crans work definitely engaged with the pressing issues and cultural imaginaries of his time. Editor: This drawing’s really about the imposition of ideas and ways of living. It uses caricature to question cultural arrogance. Something to ponder today! Curator: A brilliant piece for anyone wanting to think about cross-cultural challenges then and now.