Spotprent met Van Reenen als schaatsenrijder, 1870 1870

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans created this print in 1870. The Dutch scene depicts a caricature of someone resembling a wealthy merchant enjoying the leisure pursuit of ice skating. The image creates meaning through visual codes typical of the time. The well-dressed figure is being attended to by working class members of the community. The flag pole in the center, children skating in the background, and implied leisure time activity all point to a thriving cultural and social life. The print subtly critiques the social structures of the time. The text at the bottom suggests that the skaters were always a 'Piet' on the ice. To understand this artwork better, we might research the history of ice skating in the Netherlands and the social commentary often found in the prints of the time. Art is always contingent on social and institutional context.