Circustafereel 1822 - 1849

Jan de Lange II created this print titled "Circustafereel" sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The composition is a vibrant array of acrobats, each frozen in mid-performance, creating a dynamic sense of controlled chaos. The artist uses a deliberately flattened perspective and a palette of muted colors, defined by stark outlines. This reduces any sense of depth, emphasizing the surface and artifice of the spectacle. De Lange constructs a network of lines and geometric forms. These direct our gaze across the tableau, from the flag-bearing figures to the tightrope walkers. The artist is drawing on the semiotic language of performance to show a world turned upside down. Consider how de Lange destabilizes our sense of balance through precarious poses. In doing so, the image playfully challenges our expectations. Through the formal arrangement of figures and lines, De Lange presents us with a world where the boundaries between stability and absurdity blur.