Toneel met acteurs in diverse kostuums 1772 - 1843

Editor: Right, next up we have Pieter Hendrik Jonxis’ "Toneel met acteurs in diverse kostuums," dating somewhere between 1772 and 1843. It's an engraving and is housed at the Rijksmuseum. My first impression is theatrical and a little bit… static? What do you see in this piece? Curator: Static, perhaps, but it’s a very stagey static, isn't it? I feel like I'm peeking into someone's very grand game of dress-up. Think of it this way: It's a carefully constructed reality. Consider the precise lines of the engraving, the way Jonxis captures the folds of the costumes, almost like he's building this scene layer by layer, like creating a memory. Don’t you find a certain wistfulness in it, too? Editor: I guess, a little! I see how the costumes and setting feel very deliberate. So is the sort of formal style itself contributing to the feeling that it's like, history painting meets theatre design? Curator: Exactly! It is playing on several themes and I would expect the costumes of the figures to hint at different levels of narrative. Perhaps different characters are introduced together on the stage at the same time and through interaction we find something unique that sets one apart from the others, creating suspense, which can only occur when each individual is noticed and appreciated. What is your personal favourite character of the actors in costume on the stage and how would you design a show or stage around them? Editor: Oh, what a question! Perhaps I would prefer to observe a behind the scenes with all actors removed from costume. Thank you for making me think so personally. Curator: My pleasure! Thank you!