Twee boeren in gesprek Possibly 1772 - 1833

Curator: Mathias de Sallieth likely created this watercolor drawing, “Twee boeren in gesprek,” sometime between 1772 and 1833. The Rijksmuseum is where it calls home now. It’s interesting as both genre painting and caricature. Editor: Gosh, the way they are drawn—especially their noses— gives it a cheeky feel. It reminds me of newspaper comics poking fun at important people back in the day! There is a softness too, almost like you are overhearing something funny by the side of the road. Curator: Indeed. Sallieth's piece belongs to a broader visual tradition, popular at the time, of using caricature to comment on social class and the perceived ‘simple ways’ of rural life versus urban sophistication. We can ask questions about who is laughing at whom in this representation and why. Editor: Mmh, I like that thought a lot. And yet, I can imagine how they might just be genuinely telling stories. Look at the detail on that giant basket he has on his back! Makes you think what kind of harvest he had this season and what his kids would think about it when he gets home. Curator: Exactly. These images of common people raise questions of representation and authenticity. How much of our view is coloured by a potentially romantic, or indeed, condescending perspective of those in different socioeconomic positions? We can look to feminist theory and the depiction of the "other". Editor: You are right. You made me think about a conversation I overheard at the farm in my youth: It may have been about weather or family matters that would eventually define a community for decades! De Sallieth captures an everyday reality which feels so tangible to me, even through the distortions. I almost want to create a stageplay inspired by them. Curator: In the end, artworks like "Twee boeren in gesprek" allows us to examine not just the visual aesthetics of a period but to critically interrogate the socio-political lens through which we interpret the lives and stories of the people portrayed. Editor: Yes, precisely! Art keeps pushing you into places you don't expect. That is why I am still into it after all these years.