Gezelschap rond marktkoopman 1816

Curator: Here we have "Gezelschap rond marktkoopman," or "Company around a market vendor," an etching created around 1816 by an anonymous artist. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What are your first thoughts? Editor: It has a wonderfully chaotic energy. All of these figures crowding around this central market vendor… the exaggerated features. Is this some form of caricature? It looks rather theatrical. Curator: Precisely. We’re seeing elements of caricature intertwined with genre-painting. Notice how the figures, though comical, are positioned to reflect the social dynamic of the market scene. Consider the artist’s commentary on economic transaction during this Romantic period, maybe reflecting anxieties surrounding emerging markets. Editor: That Romantic bent really comes through in the materiality, too. It is, after all, an etching – a print. So accessible to the masses. The linear quality, and the watercolor washes adding hints of color speak volumes about production intended for broad circulation, don't you think? Was this vendor seen as a trustworthy member of society, or something else? Curator: The inscription at the bottom of the artwork: "Fillette garde bien ton argent ton honneur, Car l'un vise à la bourse et l'autre vise au cœur" offers some guidance. Editor: It makes me think about who the intended audience would be – or perhaps it’s making fun of some market practice? Did this vendor, like his products, reflect trustworthiness and quality… or something less honorable? What exactly are they peddling? Curator: Good questions. The market vendors, much like today, faced close public scrutiny and depended on the perceived moral quality to have successful trade. Here we see the social forces that either bolstered or weakened economic opportunities for members of Dutch society in 1816. The artist uses recognizable Romantic stylings and production of a broad scale printing material. This image makes us consider our role in commercial life. Editor: Definitely food for thought. Seeing the labor embedded in creating this image—from the etcher’s craft to the distribution of printed material—opens up a whole new avenue to consider what kind of value system it supports, doesn’t it? It is indeed making a commentary on trust, money and maybe even morality, making "Company around a Market Vendor," so complex, so rich.