Kalender voor het jaar 1711 tot en met het jaar 1749 en toelichting 1714

Editor: We're looking at "Kalender voor het jaar 1711 tot en met het jaar 1749 en toelichting," a calendar by Bernard Picart from 1714, created using ink and engraving. The circular calendar is a fascinating combination of mathematics and mythology. What kind of function did images such as these serve during the early 18th century? Curator: It’s fascinating to see how works like this straddle the line between functional object and artistic expression, and considering its place in the socio-political context. These calendars weren't simply about telling time; they were products of, and contributors to, the evolving scientific culture of the Enlightenment. The very act of creating and using such a precise instrument spoke to a desire for order and control, reflecting larger societal shifts in how people perceived the world. It projects order onto the cosmos. Do you notice any of the mythological imagery interwoven with the calendar’s grid? Editor: I see the figures surrounding the wheel! It looks like they are personifications of seasons or months perhaps? And I see some smaller labels and icons in the calendar itself. What would these additions have communicated to people at the time? Curator: Precisely. Think of the political and cultural function that classicism has long enjoyed: Picart connects cyclical time and knowledge of the heavens to figures from classical antiquity. Through these references, the calendar aligns the present with a revered past, subtly reinforcing existing social hierarchies and systems of power. Editor: So it's not just about telling the date, but also about reinforcing certain ideologies. The calendar isn't so neutral after all! Curator: Exactly! Art serves complex cultural roles. So next time you consult a calendar, remember the visual and political forces at play!