Daar is de zomer! 1892 - 1905

Editor: So, this is "Daar is de zomer!" created sometime between 1892 and 1905; it's an engraving and a print currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s quite busy; almost like a page from a book with illustrations and text surrounding them. How would you interpret such a work, from a cultural perspective? Curator: Well, from a materialist point of view, I'm intrigued by the layering of imagery and text, reflecting the printmaking process and the potential democratization of art at the time. How does the combination of images—deer, children, landscapes—relate to the means of production and the intended audience, specifically through printed material accessible to a broad readership? It is an engraving in a magazine after all! Editor: I see what you mean! The multiple scenes give it a feel of mass-produced entertainment, kind of like a comic page today. Could the subject matter and technique indicate a specific social class or ideology the artist aimed to serve or critique? Curator: Absolutely! Engravings like these were integral to the spread of information and cultural values. What does this medium of print reveal about labour, materiality, and the very concept of "summer" being presented, particularly within the context of late 19th-century Dutch society and their economy? Editor: It sounds like examining the materiality is the key to interpreting the purpose behind "Daar is de zomer!". I'll never look at prints the same way again. Curator: Precisely! Seeing art as the outcome of tangible labor and societal context reveals much about culture and consumerism.