Weduwe uit Afrika 1569

Editor: So, here we have "Weduwe uit Afrika," or "African Widow," a 1569 engraving by Ferando Bertelli, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me immediately is the theatricality of it – her open gesture seems almost performative, don't you think? What do you make of this work? Curator: Performative is a great word for it! It's easy to look at something like this through today’s eyes. Here we have someone who is immediately identifiable through symbols and dress; a “type” representing "Africa" to a European audience. I see an echo of the commedia dell’arte tradition, where characters wear recognizable costumes indicating roles like the braggart soldier or crafty servant. This image walks that tightrope of conveying loss, sorrow and cultural 'otherness'. Does the overt gesture undermine her sincerity or amplify the stereotypes of the era? Editor: That’s a really interesting way to look at it – almost like early cultural shorthand. Does the print’s style tell us more about how people viewed different cultures back then? Curator: Absolutely! It's important to consider the artist’s viewpoint and intended audience. It isn't documentary photography. I think they would consider that what they did IS accurate. A lens of their own culture would allow for inaccuracies to happen as a result of the ignorance of other cultures and traditions. It would be important to think of Bertelli's artistic choices regarding her pose, clothing, and even the setting. Each element reinforces existing assumptions. But maybe also pokes at our current stereotypes and prejudices too. Editor: So it's as much a historical document as it is an artwork – revealing attitudes of the time. It's a sobering thought, how easily we can create and perpetuate stereotypes. Curator: Exactly! Art invites us to reconsider our own assumptions, too, doesn’t it? The real challenge now, I think, is to engage critically with the images that surround us daily, not just the ones hanging in museums.