Wedstrijd voor ijszeiljachten op de Maas te Rotterdam, 1855 1855 - 1861

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Wedstrijd voor ijszeiljachten op de Maas te Rotterdam, 1855," created by Gerardus Johannes Bos sometime between 1855 and 1861. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. This piece is a print, combining the techniques of engraving and watercolor. Editor: Wow, it really captures the exuberance of the scene. The way the artist layers all these people gives the feeling that everyone is there. Like a big party on ice! It reminds me of childhood, the breathless anticipation of an event like this, a welcome break from the cold gray of winter. Curator: Absolutely! It's tempting to see this image as just a picturesque depiction of leisure, but it's also a document of social stratification and access. Observe the clothes, for instance. There are a very clear differences of those attending and the implications thereof. Who had the time and resources to attend such a race? What gender norms are on display here? Editor: That's true, looking closer you do see these clusters defined by class, and all those bulky, restricting garments. Though, to be honest, all I can think about is that my toes would be so cold standing on that ice. Still, you've definitely got me thinking. I wonder how people on the margins of Rotterdam society viewed such spectacles. Curator: Exactly. Beyond the spectacle, these ice yacht races provided a space for reaffirming civic identity but this always operates alongside simultaneous processes of exclusion. Rotterdam, at the time, was undergoing rapid industrialization and social transformation, we can thus approach this through labor rights discourse. Editor: Okay, you have given me much food for thought here! Thinking of labor, thinking of who has leisure. I think I need to do more thinking now about who gets to participate, even in the fun. It has left me with a new angle! Curator: Indeed. These genre scenes often offer themselves as sites of inquiry regarding complex relations of power, and forces structuring urban life during periods of upheaval. Editor: Yeah, next time I’m at a winter festival, I’m going to remember this image and try to spot all the hidden dynamics at play!