Smaak 1628 - 1689

Editor: We're looking at "Smaak", a black-and-white print, more specifically an engraving, made sometime between 1628 and 1689, by Melchior Hamers. The scene looks like a Dutch Golden Age tavern, bustling with life, all captured with incredibly fine lines. It's quite a lively picture! What's your take on it? Curator: Lively is an excellent word for it! The chaos, almost like a comedic stage, pulls you in. Hamers really captures the "Smaak," or "Taste," of the era—not just literally with the food, but figuratively, reflecting the tastes and values of the time. I wonder, does the print remind you of anything happening today? Editor: Hmm, not immediately... I guess maybe how food is often used as a communal activity, a place for socialization? But this seems so much more rowdy! Curator: Exactly! It's not so different. While seemingly commonplace today, we can get lost in how radically new these depictions were then, which documented a slice of contemporary culture in detail. Do you see how people's gazes and body language, captured via line, draw your eye to certain corners of the room? What's interesting is your modern connection. This wasn't intended as art originally; it was closer to documentary. A captured moment in time. Editor: That’s interesting to think about. It's like a snapshot, only etched in copper! And now we see it in a museum! Curator: Precisely. Hamers invites us to consider how everyday life transforms into art, and how the 'taste' of one era becomes an object of fascination and study in another. It reminds us that even the mundane can hold profound cultural value, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely! It makes you wonder what everyday things we take for granted now will become fascinating glimpses into our lives in the future. Curator: Indeed! I will walk away pondering exactly that question now... and perhaps, a pastry or two.