Wie heeft dat ooit gezien. Een boom vol jonge heeren [(...)] 1828 - 1913

Curator: Here we have, from the collection at the Rijksmuseum, a whimsical print entitled "Wie heeft dat ooit gezien. Een boom vol jonge heeren," which roughly translates to "Who has ever seen such a thing. A tree full of young gentlemen." The work, rendered with pen and ink on paper, dates from sometime between 1828 and 1913. Editor: My first impression is pure delight! It’s like a visual riddle or a scene from a bizarre, charming play. The delicate lines give it an old-world storybook feel, and the tree teeming with figures is quite comical. Curator: Indeed. The work evokes a playful societal critique. Look at the way the young men are positioned—clambering amongst the branches, almost like prized possessions. Their placement emphasizes the performative aspect of courtship. Editor: And below, the ladies observe! The tree, a symbol of life and fertility, is here turned into a marketplace of sorts, or maybe a commentary on finding a suitable partner in society? It taps into our collective understanding of the ‘marriage tree,’ laden with potential spouses like fruit. Curator: Precisely! This imagery plays into the prevailing social structures of the era, the rituals, and expectations surrounding marriage, especially for women. The tree almost parodies the concept of choice, presenting men as objects to be desired. Editor: It’s intriguing how gender roles are visually flipped, the men are literally objectified in the branches of the tree as these ladies in skirts gesture from the ground and a women stands on a ladder nearly as high as the lowest branch, a symbolic desire to climb in status maybe? Curator: An astute observation. The artwork gives insight into 19th century marriage markets, suggesting that such displays, while outwardly aimed at men displaying prowess, also reinforced societal constraints and expectations upon the young men. The women hold the true power of judgment, literally below it all. Editor: This seemingly lighthearted drawing holds within it layers of meaning about power dynamics and expectations, really compelling to dive deeper into its playful symbols. Curator: I agree. It reminds us that even seemingly innocuous images can be powerful reflectors and critiques of social norms.