De poppen-kast / Eerste stuk. Janklaassen als rekruut in Turkije c. 1843 - 1920

Curator: This lithograph print, titled "De poppen-kast / Eerste stuk. Janklaassen als rekruut in Turkije," seems to originate sometime between 1843 and 1920. I'm immediately struck by how much text accompanies the images. What's your take? Editor: It reminds me of a comic strip, but I wonder about the lithographic process itself. How does that relate to the themes in the work? Curator: Excellent question. Lithography, unlike wood engraving, allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. Considering the artist, C. Reinhardt, utilized this technique for a comic about "Janklaassen as a recruit in Turkey", how might the mass production aspect shape its interpretation as a socio-political critique? Is Reinhardt perhaps commenting on military recruitment itself, its speed, the sheer numbers involved? Editor: I hadn’t considered the implications of the chosen printing method itself! So, you are saying, the choice of lithography - allowing a possibly cheap, massive distribution of the message – points at an understanding of its own popular reach. Curator: Precisely! Moreover, observe how the relatively reproducible nature of prints dissolves the idea of a precious, singular art object. Is Reinhardt aiming for an elite art audience, or something much broader? Perhaps a public sphere discussion around labor, or colonial endeavors, accessible to more than the wealthy? What’s your reaction to that context? Editor: It shifts my understanding completely! I was so focused on just interpreting the narrative; I see now that understanding the process of *making* the artwork transforms its very message. Thanks! Curator: Exactly. It underlines that artistic interpretation is, and should be, a materially engaged undertaking.