Herdruk van de satire op de aansporing tot deelneming in de (zogenaamde) vrijwillige 3% geldlening van 1844 (blad 2) 1844

Editor: So, this is a reprint of the satire on the call for participation in the so-called voluntary 3% loan from 1844, created by Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate. It's a print using etching and ink on paper, held at the Rijksmuseum. Honestly, at first glance, it just looks like a financial document, maybe even boring. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface? Curator: Oh, but the apparent dryness *is* the point, isn't it? Like life imitating bad art. I imagine ten Kate chuckling as he etched these tiny figures next to the fine print, turning dry economics into a sly commentary. It reminds me of old ballads, you know, telling epic tales through seemingly mundane details. What do *you* make of the juxtaposition of text and image here? Editor: I guess it highlights the absurdity of it all. The little scenes break up the monotony of the loan details, maybe to show the people affected by it. Is the goose game supposed to signify gambling with your money? Curator: Exactly! Life as a board game, only the house always wins. He uses this layout, like a perverse game manual, to remind us that history isn’t just dates and treaties – it's the lived experience of ordinary folks caught in the gears of power. Does it change how you see similar documents now? Editor: Definitely. I’ll never look at an official document the same way again. The artist’s cynicism shines through! Curator: Yes, turning mundane documents into compelling commentary. Now you’re seeing it! It reminds us to look for those human stories tucked away in unexpected places.