Bestraffing van de lasteraar 1777

Curator: Jan Brandes created this watercolor, pen, and pencil drawing titled “Bestraffing van de lasteraar,” or “Punishment of the Slanderer,” in 1777. It offers a complex scene blending elements of landscape with social commentary. What strikes you about it first? Editor: Well, it’s…bonkers, isn't it? A massive, Hitchcockian bird swooping down upon these Lilliputian figures? There’s a weird dream logic at play. Curator: I agree that the scene has an uncanny quality, and, the scale is jarring. What appears to be a common shore bird is disproportionately large in comparison to the figures who are seemingly enacting some kind of ritualistic punishment. Look at the landscape in the distance and at the top left there is a spider web; this composition adds to the surreal feel of the piece. Editor: The spiderweb. I wonder if the roses next to it signify anything, juxtaposed to the web like that... Yeah, there is so much going on. My mind keeps returning to that gigantic bird. Is it a symbol of judgement, of the crushing weight of gossip bearing down on these poor souls? Or maybe a personal projection of anxieties experienced by Brandes? Curator: Considering Brandes's broader artistic and ethnographic interests, especially his travel journals documenting encounters with diverse cultures and often critiquing social norms, it’s likely that "Punishment of the Slanderer" serves as a broader critique of social structures and the punitive nature of communal judgment. What societal critiques can we glean from Brandes' work that might still be relevant? Editor: That the human desire to tear down others through gossip remains a constant? We see it in social media today. It reminds me of the concept of cancel culture... How easily the virtual mob descends. Makes that giant bird feel less absurd, sadly. Curator: Right. The artwork invites consideration of themes that cross cultural and temporal boundaries. It speaks volumes about the enduring and damaging consequences of social condemnation. It's a remarkable piece for spurring conversations. Editor: Absolutely, I agree. It is certainly stuck in my head now!