De smaak 1670 - 1724

Editor: This is Jacob Gole’s "De smaak," or "The Sense of Taste," made sometime between 1670 and 1724. It’s an etching and engraving. It feels a bit like a scene from a play, very theatrical and humorous, but also kind of dark and grotesque. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This print, on the surface, seems like a simple genre scene, but it offers a pointed commentary on social class and consumption, which can spark fascinating contemporary dialogues. We can think about the politics of taste, not just in terms of flavor but in terms of social distinctions. How does the print's exaggerated realism reflect the power dynamics of its time? Editor: So, the figures, especially the ones who look… less refined, are maybe commenting on class differences? Curator: Precisely! Think about the woman. What might her act of cooking and feeding represent in relation to labor and gender roles? Notice, too, how the sense of "taste" here extends beyond the palate to include visual taste or aesthetics. Is Gole critiquing a certain kind of consumerism? Or the concept of "good" taste being dictated by the elite? Editor: That makes me rethink my initial impression. It’s not just funny; it's kind of subversive, questioning social norms around wealth and pleasure. Curator: Exactly! Consider the period’s historical context and the burgeoning merchant class. Are these figures caricatures of the nouveau riche? It makes you wonder who exactly this piece would have appealed to when it was first produced. What new questions do we have about the relationships in the artwork? Editor: I never would have thought of all of that on my own. It’s amazing how much history and social critique can be packed into a single image. I’ll never look at a genre scene the same way again. Curator: It goes to show you, every line, every detail is loaded. We need to read it and keep asking ourselves why!