Man valt tussen twee stoelen c. 1595 - 1610

Curator: "Man Falls Between Two Stools" by Gillis van Breen, dating from around 1595 to 1610. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. This intriguing piece is an etching and engraving. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Utter chaos! My eye is immediately drawn to the unstable diagonal created by the man tumbling from what looks like a makeshift ladder. The high contrast etching throws the figures into sharp relief. Curator: Indeed, that precarious balancing act is key. In Dutch, the title itself—falling between two stools—is an idiom. It's an admonition against indecision. When you try to please everyone or occupy opposing viewpoints, you end up pleasing no one. You fall. Editor: So the tumbling figure represents someone caught between choices, both represented visually by the "stools," the chairs, and now even the ladder beneath him! I like that tension is visible not just through the man's position but also through the compositional choices; it does convey psychological ambivalence. Curator: Exactly. And observe the surrounding figures—the old woman with her raised, scolding finger seems to embody the condemning societal force, while the seated figure almost observes with detached amusement, perhaps representing a contrasting temptation. Consider the backdrop, the detailed interior leading to a view outdoors, which also implies contrasting spheres. Editor: I do see that now—it seems to suggest some sort of conflicting worldly and domestic realm. Speaking of details, the use of etching and engraving—gives such textural complexity despite its small scale. The light and shadow are incredibly expressive, don’t you agree? Curator: I couldn't agree more. These finely wrought lines aren't just aesthetic choices; they are potent signifiers, reflecting moral complexities prevalent during the late 16th century in genre scenes. A seemingly simple genre-painting transformed into a potent lesson! Editor: Absolutely, analyzing it this way really allows you to peel away the layers of visual and cultural information present. It leaves one to wonder whether we, in our own ways, often fall between these symbolic 'stools.’ Curator: I feel it’s like observing an almost archetypal human dilemma, repeated throughout history! It all goes back to what are values are.