Ein violinspielender und ein singender Savoyardenknabe 1786

Curator: Looking at this image, my first thought is of light and shadow, a real chiaroscuro effect, but more subtle, rendered entirely in greyscale. Editor: We’re currently observing an engraving, titled "Ein violinspielender und ein singender Savoyardenknabe" or “A violin-playing and singing Savoyard Boy” created around 1786 by Isaak Bager. The artwork is preserved at the Städel Museum. Curator: Savoyard... It's the term itself that interests me. The Savoy region linking France, Italy, and Switzerland; the image of itinerant entertainers. Editor: The depiction of Savoyard children touches upon complex socio-political currents of the time. Street performers, often children, became emblems of both romanticism and social critique. It acknowledges the difficult conditions, yet risks romanticizing poverty for artistic effect. Curator: Do you think that their portrayal here, with exaggerated, almost cartoonish features, serves a specific symbolic function, perhaps referencing wider anxieties around social mobility? The artist's intentional play on physiognomy cannot be overlooked. Editor: Possibly. It speaks to the public role of art. It isn’t a straightforward documentary piece. Instead, it plays with imagery—idealizing certain attributes of music-making while pointing to the supposed 'grotesqueness' of poverty, thereby creating a visual hierarchy. The image, reproduced widely, reinforced and normalized social categories. Curator: Bager uses these boys to convey a larger message of innocence, resilience, and possibly exploitation, which, when deciphered, has complex meanings tied to its era and societal concerns. Their story as symbols persists despite being far removed from the present. Editor: Reflecting on Bager’s engraving today, it serves as an important reminder that art, while offering aesthetic appreciation, can also prompt us to investigate its historical implications and confront uncomfortable societal norms. Curator: Ultimately, by capturing the Savoyard children and their music, Isaak Bager unintentionally preserves their stories and echoes the enduring struggle and spirit found within them.