Denemarken. 2,200,000 inwoners 1850

Curator: I love the naive charm of this! What do you make of this printed page, "Denemarken. 2,200,000 Inwoners," made around 1850? To me, it's more than just geographical information; it's like a time capsule of how people visualized the world then. The four different prints on one page must have appealed to a youth audience with an educational interest in landscape, industry and nature. Editor: I think it’s fascinating! I see a map, a coastal scene with ships, then scenes from the Faroe Islands and Iceland, each feeling like a little window into these faraway places. I like the northern lights reflected in the night scene of the sound (De Sont), and find it hard to read what type of scenes the other three small illustrations refer to. Do you think there is an underlying symbolic intention beyond just an image of the region or area? Curator: I do. The artist clearly sees these locations not merely as points on a map but as distinct places with an ambience all their own, an identity revealed in their landscapes. Jan Schuitemaker wants the viewer to understand that the region is very distinct culturally, not just physically. What is also interesting here is the combination of nature and commerce with these ships shown along Denmark and nearby areas of commerce like Hannover and Iceland. He's practically painting with information, using line and layout, don't you think? Editor: I completely see your point. He is weaving together geographical data, maritime elements, and cultural significance! It’s much more involved than what I had considered when just describing it. Curator: It really gives us so much more to consider. Just imagine sitting with that page and the thoughts that it generates about culture. Thanks for opening my eyes to the charm of that northern lights sketch as well!