De maand Februari: vastenavondscène op een Italiaans plein

Jan Wildens rendered this ink drawing of an Italian square during Carnival. At first glance, it is a scene of revelry, but pause to consider the deeper currents. The leaping figures, a carriage bearing masked faces, and the general chaos symbolize the inversion of social norms, a tradition as old as the Roman Saturnalia. This motif of temporary madness, of turning the world upside down, resurfaces across cultures. Think of the medieval Feast of Fools or the riotous energy of the Renaissance commedia dell'arte, where the boundaries of class and decorum dissolved in playful anarchy. It is a moment of release, where repressed desires bubble to the surface, and the collective psyche finds an outlet in the absurd. This echoes in our modern festivals, where masks and costumes serve as a temporary shield, allowing us to explore hidden aspects of ourselves. The urge to escape, to invert, and to play remains a constant thread.