Rebus 1831

Editor: Here we have “Rebus,” created around 1831 by Theodorus Johannes Wijnhoven-Hendriksen, a print made using engraving. It reminds me of a comic strip, almost like a visual puzzle. Each square is a little scene, full of figures and objects, and it definitely creates a playful, slightly surreal atmosphere. How do you interpret this work? Curator: You’ve nailed it with "playful," haven’t you? It tickles my brain to see how language and image come together like this. It’s like a whimsical history lesson disguised as a party game. Think of it: little jokes for the eye and mind. Each little square bursts with societal cues, visual witticisms lost in translation. I think the artist found great joy in creating this, do you feel that joy radiating from this historical artwork? Editor: Definitely, there's something charming about the directness of it. But did everyone back then “get” the inside jokes? Curator: That's the kicker, isn't it? Some surely got them, like they knew who was ‘in’ or ‘out’, like an old Facebook group. Some no doubt puzzled. Still, imagine folks gathered 'round this rebus, scratching their heads and guffawing all the same! I’d like to believe the real joy was shared—decoding something beautiful, something coded. A shared intellectual romp, perhaps? Editor: It's interesting to think about how something created for a specific audience at a particular time can still spark curiosity and joy today. Curator: Precisely. It shows how art is truly time travel. And we, the passengers.