Hier hebt gy afgebeeld en uytgedrukt naar 't leeven / Veel meerder koddigheyd / als ons Ovied' beschreven (...). 1730

Curator: This engraving by Izaak Enschedé, created in 1730, is a fascinating example of early comic art. It depicts a series of rather strange figures with even stranger attributes, a visual bestiary if you will. What strikes you most about this work? Editor: It looks almost like an antique storyboard with these little panels each containing an odd creature. I am just curious, though, what's with all the strange caricatures? Curator: Well, let’s consider the period in which it was made. This piece emerges from the Dutch Baroque, a time of significant social and political upheaval as the Dutch Republic navigated its identity. The satirical nature of the prints, paired with exaggerated forms, likely served as a form of social commentary. Each panel, while comical, could represent types of people, behaviours, and moral lessons. How do you think these images engage with the idea of identity? Editor: I guess the characters could symbolize aspects of the society at that time? For instance, if some were in positions of authority, these comical and weird bodies might make commentary on that imbalance? Curator: Exactly. The grotesque, the humorous, the downright absurd—these are all strategies artists employ to critique power structures. What about the decision to depict these as individual panels? How does that contribute to its message? Editor: It almost reads like a deck of playing cards. It might make the issues the print is presenting, such as morality and acceptable behaviour, more approachable? Curator: Yes! By presenting it this way, Izaak makes the commentary more playful, and perhaps less openly confrontational, making the critiques easier to digest by his audience, while getting the message across nonetheless. Editor: This was very interesting. I see that comic art can be more than funny images, it could be used for historical and cultural critique.