Verklaring van de prent met de begrafenis van een dode zalm, 1787 1787

Curator: Today we're looking at "Verklaring van de prent met de begrafenis van een dode zalm, 1787," or, "Explanation of the print with the funeral of a dead salmon," a curious piece from 1787 held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought? This isn't your typical artwork; it has the dense layout of a newspaper or perhaps a political pamphlet, filled with text and a quirky sense of humor that seems both mournful and mischievous. Curator: That's precisely the charm. While rendered as graphic art on paper, including typography elements, it’s essentially satire masquerading as news. Editor: Ah, so the “funeral” is symbolic. Tell me, what's with the salmon? Curator: The dead salmon represents a political figure or faction that has fallen out of favor. It's a commentary on power, loss, and perhaps the fleeting nature of political alliances during a turbulent time in Dutch history. All these satirical portraits in the style of newspaper layout gives this graphic art a narrative dimension. Editor: So, each of the figures listed in the text are players in this drama? The "Patriotic gravedigger" or "Bereaved Herring"? Curator: Exactly! The text identifies various figures, assigning them roles in this farcical funeral procession, all dripping with political and social commentary of that era. Editor: And those Prussian stick-wielders in the B section? Curator: You got it. An Iconographer after my own heart! The composition and use of text cleverly conveys the story and political undertones of 18th century Dutch life in the newspaper and satirical prints of that era. Even without prior context of those figures in that moment in history, we understand it is some kind of social and political narrative through these artistic tropes and references. Editor: Fascinating how symbols, even bizarre ones like a deceased salmon, gain cultural weight. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Always interesting when we explore how art immortalizes a particular zeitgeist.