Kaartspel. / Nr. 3. / Schoppen c. 1843 - 1920

This is ‘Kaartspel. / Nr. 3. / Schoppen’ by J. Beeg. It is a print with a variety of spade playing card images. Without a specific date for this work, it is difficult to place it within a precise historical and cultural context, but playing cards have a long and fascinating history, often reflecting the social hierarchies and cultural values of their time. Playing cards, traditionally used for leisure, are here infused with narratives of class, gender and identity. We can see vignettes of everyday life, rendered with a satirical, almost caricature-like quality. The artist uses the familiar imagery of playing cards to present what appear to be social commentaries. Are they merely whimsical scenes, or do they hint at the tensions and absurdities within the depicted social strata? This piece invites us to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves through games and symbols. It asks: How do traditional forms of representation shape, or perhaps misshape, our understanding of society?