Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1850 (plaat 8) 1850

Editor: This watercolor drawing, "Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1850 (plaat 8)" by Carel Christiaan Antony Last, depicts a formal procession with a horse-drawn carriage. It has a certain regal charm, but also a stiff formality that makes me wonder about its context. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This image provides an interesting glimpse into the social hierarchies and performative aspects of 19th-century student life in Leiden. What strikes me is the blatant display of privilege. These students are putting on a "masquerade," right? What identities are they adopting, and whose are they excluding? Consider the power dynamics at play here – who gets to participate in this spectacle, and who is relegated to the role of observer, or perhaps even forced to serve as part of the pageantry? Editor: So you're saying this isn't just a lighthearted scene, but a reflection of social stratification? The costumes and formality now seem like tools for enforcing a particular class identity. Curator: Exactly! Think about the resources required to stage such an elaborate event – the horses, the carriage, the costumes. This points to the economic and social capital these students possessed, resources that were likely inaccessible to many others in Leiden at the time. This masquerade, therefore, becomes a performance of power and exclusion, reinforcing existing social hierarchies. How does situating the work within the context of 19th-century Dutch society alter your initial impression? Editor: I initially saw it as picturesque, but now I realize it's a complicated representation of power dynamics and privilege, using tradition to reinforce social status. Thank you! Curator: Precisely! Art can be so much more when you start considering such intersectional perspectives, examining social position in terms of gender, class and race. It allows you to unveil its deeper social meaning.