Het leven van Robinson Crusoë (2) 1903 - 1919

This print by Arie Willem Segboer lays out the story of Robinson Crusoe in a series of colourful panels. You can imagine the artist planning out each scene, carefully arranging the characters and details to fit within each little frame. Each stage of the story is depicted in bright colours, like little cartoon cells, with the key moment of the narrative made clear. The artist uses a light touch and a limited palette to capture the spirit of adventure, and the vulnerability of a man alone on a desert island. What would it have been like to be Segboer, imagining Crusoe’s encounters, one after the other, and then distilling them into these vivid vignettes? It reminds me how our minds grasp narrative, piecing together fragments into a cohesive whole. The artist brings a sense of wonder and curiosity to the story, and invites us to join in his playful exploration of a classic adventure.