Odijk deelt geld uit aan de boeren, 1672 1764 - 1766

Editor: Here we have Simon Fokke's engraving, "Odijk deelt geld uit aan de boeren, 1672," created sometime between 1764 and 1766. I'm immediately struck by its narrative quality. It's like looking at two sequential panels from a graphic novel, or perhaps frames from a film. What stories do you think these scenes are telling us? Curator: Oh, I love that film analogy! I see it as a kind of before-and-after snapshot, or perhaps more accurately, a 'during' and 'after.' The top panel shows a nobleman, Odijk, attempting to quell a peasant revolt by doling out money. It is a turbulent scene! But then, in the lower panel, a more subdued peasant brings a document of submission to his lords. A statement of allegiance, if you will. Do you get a sense of how well it worked out? Editor: I definitely get the sense that Odijk’s strategy was not successful. Is that what the inscription beneath the image suggests? Curator: Precisely! "But it helps not; & uprising continues on its course," proclaims the script with an almost ironic, perhaps bitter, tone. It highlights a failed attempt at conflict resolution. So, while the bottom scene might seem like a return to order, consider the subtext: How willingly do you think they really offered the statement? Editor: So, it’s not necessarily a depiction of peace restored, but rather perhaps highlighting a coerced submission? It feels like a visual commentary on power dynamics during the Dutch Golden Age. I’ll be chewing on that for a while! Curator: Exactly! These prints are often loaded with social commentary if you think about them in relation to each other and the context they emerged from. The medium is the message - a easily distributable warning. Glad I could set you on the path, editor!