Spotprent met begraving van wetten before 1886

Curator: I’m struck by the gloom in this piece. It’s like the artist sucked all the light out of the world and left behind just this stark, melancholic gray. Editor: Indeed. What we’re looking at is an engraving by Willem Steelink II, titled “Spotprent met begraving van wetten,” which translates to "Caricature with burial of laws". Created before 1886, it’s a fascinating piece of political satire rendered with ink on paper. Curator: Satire’s often sharp and funny. This feels…more mournful, like the end of something precious, not just something ridiculous. It evokes an old tale. Editor: Well, consider the context. Steelink was operating in a time of great socio-political upheaval in the Netherlands. This piece, with its depiction of a literal burial of laws, reflects anxieties around changing legal systems and perhaps even the decline of traditional values. See how various figures, possibly representing different factions or political players, are involved in this somber procession? Curator: Yes! A proper funeral, really. Some are weeping openly and others dance around a column in joyous mockery! Editor: That column seems to bear a striking inscription too. It would have helped guide the intended viewers, in the moment. But zoom out. Note how the composition directs your eye. From the chaos on the left to the silent grave. Even the jester looking on suggests societal upheaval. There’s a phrase above the wall near the open grave... 'Hodie mihi, cras tibi,' isn't it? 'Today for me, tomorrow for you.’ Chilling stuff. Curator: It is chilling! The jester, though…he's placed up and away in the top-right corner! I wonder, is this a message of warning from the past or some sort of inevitable fate for our own societies? I like that! I love that. I hadn't thought of it in so directly an analogous way. It makes this older piece so relevant. Editor: These anxieties about political change certainly endure. It's fascinating to observe the impact these narratives have, spanning from 19th-century debates to our present-day challenges. Curator: Absolutely. The weight of those coffins and the casual grave dirt feel eerily relatable—especially when considering contemporary systems collapsing left and right. Steelink really got to the emotional core of a political transition. Editor: Definitely a conversation starter—and a stark reminder of how anxieties surrounding social transformation transcend time.