Het Stoomboots / spel 1820 - 1837

Curator: Here we have "Het Stoomboots/spel," a lithograph printed sometime between 1820 and 1837 by T.C. Hoffers. It's currently part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My first impression? It feels wonderfully playful. A sort of whimsical roadmap—a journey across, perhaps, some dreamt-up Dutch landscape? The colors are muted but inviting. There’s an innocent, childlike charm that just grabs you. Curator: Absolutely. Lithography at this time allowed for relatively inexpensive and wide dissemination of images. Games like these reflected and reinforced emerging middle-class values of education and leisure. This board game mirrors the then-new fascination with steam travel. Editor: A steamship game! The little vignettes on each square… the steeple, a teacup, figures in various costumes. Are these hazards or rewards? Little slices of 19th-century Dutch life served up in bite-sized portions, with each spot its own miniature tableau, ripe with hidden meaning, don't you think? Curator: Indeed! Each image is carefully selected and positioned in relation to one another. Steam travel revolutionized transportation but also dramatically changed how people viewed distance, space, and even time. A game simulates navigating that novel reality in a safe, predictable setting. Editor: It's clever! It's a bit like a visual poem about progress. You've got the steamship proudly at the top—almost like the sun!—followed by daily encounters, mundane situations... it’s a map, and a story. How marvelous. I’d love to give it a go and play by those wonderfully small-lettered rules down below. It whispers little mysteries, and invites playful interpretations! Curator: Looking closely connects us to a time of both optimism and uncertainty. It makes me ponder the societal impact that technological advances hold. This seemingly simple lithograph contains layers of cultural narratives. Editor: A playful reminder that our world is a giant game board, after all.