Riemkap met postbezorger 1855 - 1932

Editor: This is "Riemkap met postbezorger," dating from 1855 to 1932, at the Rijksmuseum, attributed to Friedrich Wilhelm Burmeister. It’s an engraving, but its miniature scale and sepia tones give it the feel of a faded photograph. What stands out to you most about this work? Curator: Immediately, I see a confluence of symbols relating to communication, movement, and perhaps even societal hierarchy. The post rider, centered and framed, becomes an emblem not just of mail delivery, but of connection. Look how the image is cradled within what seems to be a decorative cartouche, resembling a laurel wreath. Editor: Like a crest? Curator: Precisely! Consider the horse—a traditional symbol of nobility and speed. Now, add to this the miniature format, commonly found in calling cards or letterheads of the era. This creates a fascinating dialogue between grand symbolic gestures and intimate personal exchange. How does that interplay affect your understanding? Editor: I see what you mean! It shrinks the vast postal network down to something personal. It makes the grand scale of an empire's reach seem approachable. Is that a little house on the horizon? Curator: Yes, precisely so; and thus we are led from state matter, personified in its noble messenger, to private matters nestled within the suggestion of the domestic, a home awaiting communication. Does it strike you as romanticizing the postal service or speaking to the importance of domestic stability? Editor: Both, really. It seems the artist wanted to ennoble ordinary communication by borrowing images from heraldry and landscape painting. I hadn’t noticed all the levels of symbolism woven in there! Curator: Exactly, and it is this weaving together that art does best – how very subtly it communicates. The piece encourages us to consider how seemingly mundane elements of our daily lives are deeply connected to historical narratives.