Man met banier en bloesemtak 1909 - 1942

Editor: Right, let’s talk about this intriguing piece titled "Man met banier en bloesemtak," dating sometime between 1909 and 1942, by Jac Jongert. It's a pencil drawing or print currently held at the Rijksmuseum. My first impression? It's powerfully symbolic but feels quite still. What do you see in this work, beyond the man with the banner? Curator: Oh, the stillness deceives, doesn’t it? For me, it's a potent blend of art nouveau elegance and revolutionary fervor. Think about it – this man, kneeling yet defiant, holding not just a banner but life itself, symbolized by the flowering branch. Jongert, I suspect, invites us to ponder: Is action just destruction or also about nurturing new beginnings? See the birds, hinting at freedom; a low wall which can also be considered as foundation for building. How about the the text? Have you read through? Editor: I saw the text, it reminded me of a poem but didn’t manage to make sense of the content. But you mention revolutionary fervor, does the text say anything about the Zeitgeist of those days? Curator: Precisely! And those clenched fists – they speak volumes, don’t they? It echoes a time of great social change. The writing at the bottom adds layers, resembling a manifesto perhaps? About overcoming darkness, building a new world... And consider Art Nouveau itself. Often dismissed as mere decoration, it was radical! Reaching for something different. Something hopeful. Editor: I see your point. So it’s more about action creating something beautiful, rather than simply tearing down? Curator: Precisely. The beauty in the blossom suggests creation but holding it along the flag shows they both are intertwined: there may be nothing to blossom on the debris of inaction. And I wonder what Jongert really wanted us to *do* when we look at this. What "de daad," this “act” meant, for him… or for us, even now. Editor: It makes you think. It definitely challenges that initial feeling of stillness, it feels way more loaded with intention. Curator: Exactly! That's the joy of art, isn't it? It evolves as *we* evolve.