Jan Klaassens kluchtige bedrijven, / Ziet gij, tot uw vermaak, in prent [(...)] 1848 - 1881

This print, titled *Jan Klaassens kluchtige bedrijven*, was made by Lutkie & Cranenburg. Though undated, its themes speak to enduring cultural narratives. Jan Klaassen, a figure reminiscent of Punch from Punch and Judy, embodies a specific kind of masculine identity—boisterous and often violent. He is a character who seems to perpetually evade the consequences of his actions. Looking at these scenes, ask yourself, how does humor function in excusing, or even celebrating, violence? The print invites us to reflect on the performance of masculinity and the social norms that enable such behavior, then as now. It asks us to consider what it means to laugh at Jan Klaassen's antics and whether we are, in some way, complicit in his actions. The presence of Jan Klaassen in popular culture raises questions about the values we uphold and the narratives we choose to perpetuate.