Verschillende voorstellingen c. 1828 - 1913

This print, Verschillende voorstellingen, was made by Erve Wijsmuller, and is now held at the Rijksmuseum. What first strikes you is the division of the page into a series of vignettes, each a self-contained scene with its own narrative. Wijsmuller employs a comic style, typical of satirical prints, using line and colour sparingly to define each space. The scenes vary in tone and subject matter. Some are interiors, like the classroom scene with a singing master, others are set outdoors, with figures engaged in work or leisure. This use of varied spaces creates a kind of stage, where social roles and human behaviours are enacted and put on display. The artist's choice to present these scenes together on one page invites us to compare and contrast them, highlighting the diversity and complexity of human life. It is a playful yet insightful commentary on the everyday.