Kapitalist 1875 - 1900

Jan de Waardt made this drawing, Kapitalist, with pen, ink and watercolour. The artwork likely comes from the Netherlands, in the late 19th century. The caricature depicts a portly man in a white suit, smugly stepping over bags of money, an embodiment of capitalist excess. The image derives meaning from its Dutch cultural context, where economic disparities were growing, and anxieties about the power of the wealthy were on the rise. De Waardt was working at a time when social commentary through caricature was a potent form of critique, often published in newspapers and journals. The Rijksmuseum, as an institution, plays a role in preserving and interpreting such works, offering insights into the social and political climate of the past. To fully grasp the cartoon's impact, you would have to research the popular press of the time, studying how such images shaped public opinion. This kind of investigation reminds us that art doesn't exist in a vacuum; rather it is an active participant in ongoing debates about social and political values.