Luilekkerland / Pays de Cocagne 1856 - 1900

Curator: Right, so we're looking at "Luilekkerland / Pays de Cocagne," a print—etching really—made sometime between 1856 and 1900 by Glenisson & Zonen. The first thing I see is this sort of... organized chaos, like a page from a children’s book. It's almost a comic strip, I guess, and honestly a little unnerving! It presents this fantasy of excess, but does so in such a bizarre, almost clinical way. What strikes you about it? Editor: I think it's interesting how each frame has text above and below. I almost want to know what story it's trying to tell. Are we looking at a straightforward depiction of an ideal place, or is there a layer of satire here? Curator: Oh, satire for sure. I imagine this was a cheeky commentary on societal desires, or maybe even a jab at those yearning for unattainable comforts. See how passive the people are in many scenes? Being fed grapes, lying about… it's as if ambition has been replaced with mindless consumption! Almost…scary, right? I wonder, does the relatively mundane attire and scenery heighten that tension? Editor: Definitely! If they were wearing togas in a fantastical landscape, it'd be a totally different story! And how does the bilingual title affect our interpretation, you think? Curator: Oh, I wonder if it suggests a work reaching across cultural boundaries! And who doesn’t daydream of an eternal, scrumptious feast, after all! Perhaps everyone back then did... Anyway, this print truly embodies a blend of allure and critique. What did you learn? Editor: I’ve come to appreciate the clever social commentary. Makes you wonder what "Luilekkerland" looks like today, right?