Boerenpaar 1510 - 1550

Curator: So, what leaps out at you when you look at Sebald Beham's "Boerenpaar," dating somewhere between 1510 and 1550? Editor: Oh, it's wonderfully…chaotic? He’s got such an animated posture, almost theatrical, whereas she looks somber and completely detached. The energy difference is striking! Curator: It's interesting that you pick up on that discord. I wonder if Beham is trying to say something about the dynamics between men and women, particularly within the peasantry. Editor: Precisely! I think this piece, with its stark contrasts, almost screams about the period's gender roles. We have this image of domesticity contrasted against whatever he is shouting about, maybe civic or trade activities? It makes you consider power structures and voice...who's allowed to speak, who's supposed to listen. The domestic realm, after all, becomes another place of labor. Curator: He's a northern Renaissance artist, remember, so there's definitely some influence there too. This tiny world rendered in meticulous detail using engraving. Editor: The medium adds another layer to that observation of labor, right? I imagine the artist painstakingly creating these fine lines. It must have been a real commitment! You can't rush the process. It seems appropriate since peasants are almost invariably seen as workers. Curator: Yes, there's a commitment. This little print that now lives at the Rijksmuseum has made us really think today! Editor: Absolutely, a reminder to look beyond the surface of any representation. This "Boerenpaar" seems so typical, and yet opens up complex thoughts around labor, gender and even speech!