Meisje rijdt op een kat over de daken 1887 - 1911

Curator: We are looking at "Meisje rijdt op een kat over de daken", a drawing made with pen and ink by Gust van de Wall Perné. Its creation is dated sometime between 1887 and 1911. Editor: My first impression is that this image feels playfully subversive, like a children’s book illustration imbued with a darker, almost fantastical element. The ink drawing against a seemingly endless starry sky sparks a strange blend of comfort and unease. Curator: Indeed. Placed in the Rijksmuseum, this seemingly innocent work engages with themes of folk art and symbolism through a unique figuration. Consider the artist's choices during the fin de siècle period and burgeoning fascination with occult symbolism present within society and its reflection of folk-art aesthetics. Editor: Absolutely. The cat, a potent symbol across cultures, carrying the child above a cityscape immediately makes me think about ancient mythologies – particularly connections between cats, nocturnal journeys, and otherworldly realms. Notice how the crescent moon mirrors the subtle grin on the cat's face. Is it mischievousness? Authority? Curator: I think it's difficult to disentangle such seemingly positive childhood iconography with underlying themes that explore themes such as power dynamics, particularly a young girl seemingly controlling a large imposing feline—almost blurring into a singular silhouette through the artist's inking. This can reflect on the social constructs, such as girlhood during that time through control and vulnerability. Editor: I see your point about social control, particularly about girls at this period, I perceive something rather emancipatory; a female figure using animal totems—and liminal places like the rooftop—to navigate the night-time world by her own rules. It pushes back. Curator: Precisely. Perné challenges the established roles within visual storytelling itself—by allowing the interplay of power and magic. Editor: It prompts a discussion around who gets to tell stories and what symbols they wield while navigating both physical spaces as well as those hidden from daily vision. That, in itself, holds radical potential. Curator: Yes. A final word: viewing Perné's work invites us to rethink how conventional narratives are built and the roles each element is intended to fill while navigating both folklore as well as the night. Editor: Ultimately, such artwork invites us to seek personal symbolisms when viewing them in contrast with established beliefs within artistic realms.