De twee schelmen 1876 - 1895

Curator: Looking at this print titled "De twee schelmen", or "The Two Rogues," which was produced sometime between 1876 and 1895 by Ducourtioux & Huillard. What strikes you about it? Editor: Oh, it's charming! It reminds me of those old-fashioned storybook illustrations, a bit naive but with so much life crammed into one sheet. Curator: The print medium itself speaks volumes. These images, cheaply reproduced, were disseminated widely, contributing to a burgeoning culture of mass media. Editor: And what a narrative it unfolds! Two slightly bumbling fellows and a very active pig! I see the narrative play out—the humor of their plans gone awry ends, predictably but funnily, with one of the rogues behind bars. It has a Chaplinesque quality, wouldn’t you agree? Curator: Indeed, its accessibility highlights a tension. While these works engage popular narratives and social types, the low cost often meant they were treated as disposable, existing outside the "high art" canon. Note, however, how skilled the hand-colored printing is. Editor: The repetition of characters gives it this very folksy vibe. Like a song where the chorus keeps returning with small, entertaining changes! One can almost hear an accordion playing as you flip the page. What kind of audience would have delighted in this back then, do you think? Curator: This kind of comic strip speaks directly to that tension between rural traditions and emergent modern urban life, appealing to broad social classes who sought both accessible entertainment and echoes of older social orders. Editor: I’ll tell you what – seeing this today really hits me! This narrative offers an open window to past sensibilities – a bit sentimental but full of honest amusement. Thank goodness things – including our humorous mishaps! – can leave behind some kind of mark, don’t you think?