Engelstalig voorwoord 1635

Editor: So, this is "Engelstalig voorwoord," an English foreword from 1635 by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger. It's an engraving on textile, held at the Rijksmuseum. My initial impression is…well, it's a lot of text! Very dense and formal. What do you see in this piece that stands out to you? Curator: It is dense, isn't it? Visually and conceptually. The baroque loved this kind of layering. But what captures my imagination is the *voice* – a real person reaching across centuries, hoping not to be misunderstood. He's almost...anxious. What do you make of his defensiveness? Editor: He seems worried about being accused of promoting immodesty, or something like that! Curator: Exactly. It's like he's anticipating the Twitter storm of the 17th century! And notice how he tries to justify depicting "infamous persons," claiming it's purely for artists seeking accurate details on current fashions. Do you buy it? Editor: Hmmm…maybe. I can see the appeal for artists needing references. But the focus on courtesans… it does feel a bit dodgy. Curator: Dodgy indeed! Perhaps he's both a helpful art resource *and* someone profiting from… less virtuous imagery. He even encourages people to “pervse the fame without scandal or offense,” which is hilarious in its hopeful naiveté. But what does it say about the male gaze of that era, do you think? Editor: Well, it sounds like male artists are going all over Europe trying to capture female fashion. So, women are the art objects. Curator: And our friend Crispijn is enabling them… or profiting from them, or both. Fascinating how much a little bit of dense text can tell us! Editor: It definitely gives a glimpse into the social anxieties around art and morality at the time, more than I thought I'd find in a museum placard! Curator: Absolutely, texts like this aren’t just descriptions but portals. Keep reading!