French-Lemonade-merchant 1771

Editor: So, here we have Matthew Darly’s "French-Lemonade-merchant", an engraving from 1771, here at the Rijksmuseum. It's... certainly a character. He's got this enormous hat and this even bigger box strapped to his back! How do you interpret this work? What are we looking at, really? Curator: Ah, yes, Darly's Lemonade Merchant. For me, it’s like a little portal back to the 18th century and all its quirky obsessions! What you're seeing isn't just a simple portrait. It’s a caricature, a way of commenting on society through humour. It captures the fashion and the spirit of the Rococo era with that playful asymmetry, doesn't it? Notice that oversized hat… It's absolutely ridiculous. Editor: It *is* ridiculous! Is the humour purely about appearance, or is there more to it? Curator: Good question. Think about what lemonade represented then: a relatively new, fashionable refreshment. The artist might be gently mocking the trends, the people swept up by these novelties from France. That strange figure perched on his pack – part gargoyle, part mischievous imp - really piques my curiosity. What do you suppose he signifies? Perhaps the slightly 'devilish' allure of the latest fad? Editor: Hmmm, that’s interesting. Maybe it's pointing to the possible downsides of these "luxury" goods. The pursuit of fashion maybe becomes a little monstrous? Curator: Exactly! It’s like a snapshot of a specific moment in time, packaged in satire. It really makes you wonder what future generations will think of our own obsessions and caricatures. Editor: I guess that looking at something like this makes you see the layers that exist in what you may casually define "as style". Thanks for this perspective.