De toverlantaarn (dl. 1), ca. 1720 1720

This is "De toverlantaarn" made around 1720 by Jan de Ridder, a print that uses etching and engraving. Notice how the composition is divided into distinct registers, creating a vertical narrative flow. The upper register depicts a gathering, while the lower one shows figures carrying lantern-like boxes. De Ridder employs line and texture to define shapes, but the figures' forms are distorted. The artist destabilizes established representations of form. Are these cultural codes intended to be satirical? The characters in the upper register seem to be observing some kind of spectacle. In the lower register are figures who are hunched over. This positioning makes the forms appear to function as signs within a broader cultural and philosophical discourse. The artwork is a site of ongoing interpretation. The organization of shapes and forms invites an interpretation of social hierarchy.