Ballon, ballon, schapo ballon! / Wie of het eerst die smaak verzon? / Die heden geen ballonhoed draagd, / Word als een dommen uit beklaagd 1791 - 1812

Editor: Here we have "Ballon, ballon, schapo ballon!" by Johannes Egbertus van Lieshout, dating from around 1791 to 1812. It's an engraving, almost like a page from a comic strip. It's aged and toned, and I find its quirky little scenes quite charming. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, first, note how this popular print from the late 18th century highlights fashion, social commentary, and emerging visual narratives. It is no coincidence that ballooning craze and high-crowned, "balloon" hats were at its height during this period! It is not simply fashion either. What purpose did these hats serve in society? Editor: Fashion definitely dictates what is ‘in,’ but how did political events come to play here? Curator: Good question! These illustrated prints, often sold cheaply, became powerful tools for circulating opinions and constructing identities, playing on ideas of both individual aspiration and conformity in the face of social expectation. The inscription suggests ridicule for those who didn't follow the fashion. Would you say this hints to social pressure and perhaps a nascent form of consumer culture? Editor: Absolutely, the implication is that you're considered foolish if you're not wearing the "ballonhoed". Curator: Precisely! The 'narrative art' aspect suggests that fashion, as it enters popular imagery, becomes entwined with social meaning and is used in the process of building shared ideas about identity. Did anything else strike you as hinting to its function within the wider popular consciousness? Editor: It is amazing how art becomes integrated with everyday culture and transmits the social cues. This really changes how I’ll be looking at prints going forward. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about prints like this reveals the relationship between art, public opinion, and social power. Hopefully this makes you consider just how multifaceted even seemingly simple prints are.