Het Stoomboots / spel 1825 - 1845

Curator: Here we have “Het Stoomboots / spel” by Aron Hijman Binger, dating from about 1825 to 1845. It's a printed engraving. What strikes you initially about this work? Editor: Well, beyond the charm of what looks like a board game, there's a deliberate quaintness in its rendering. Almost as if it wants to appear innocent of the social upheavals associated with early industrialization. Does this nostalgic quality align with its period? Curator: It certainly taps into the emergent popular fascination with steam power but filters it through familiar structures. Aboard game! Notice how the numbered squares feature imagery relating to aspects of early industrial travel. The squares lead to specific symbolic concepts, the steamship as progress embodied? Editor: Right. But also progress controlled, maybe? Look how neatly compartmentalized it is. Squares are small narratives in themselves, mapping a safe route from point A to point B. The scenes below deck especially—"Eerste Kajuit," "Tweede Kajuit"—it’s a stratified experience, quite literally. Curator: I find it remarkable how seemingly ordinary objects carry layers of historical weight. For instance, a drinking glass or “BENGLASJENUMER” in the work, which acts not only as imagery relating to aspects of travel by steam engine, but perhaps, is this representative of some social concept? Is it more dangerous than helpful? Editor: Potentially both, perhaps representative of commerce but also as escapism? The inclusion of squares referencing Zaanland suggest not just any trip but one specifically tailored towards a middle class clientele who enjoyed the novelty of seeing industrial sites turned tourist attractions. “THULSIE VANZAARPETER DEN GROOTEN TE ZAANDAM!” Curator: The thistle motif near the bottom adds an interesting cultural dimension to me. Thistles symbolize resilience, I notice how they serve here almost as emblems of nature domesticated by technological innovation! Editor: Ultimately, the piece invites viewers to ponder not only the wonder of technological advancement but also its role in mediating lived experiences and the way certain eras want to be represented in material culture. Curator: Indeed. What begins as an almost childlike rendering soon yields profound insight regarding the values of its era! Editor: And the lasting cultural impact and mythologizing of progress of technological invention and societal adaptation that persists even in today's world!