Soldaat bespot door narren Possibly 1615 - 1709

Editor: Here we have "Soldaat bespot door narren," or "Soldier Mocked by Fools," a print dating sometime between 1615 and 1709 by Nicolaes Lastman. It’s done as an engraving and is dominated by these caricatured figures surrounding what I presume is the soldier. I'm immediately struck by how unsettling the scene feels. What do you make of this scene? Curator: Well, it seems like we’re peering into a carnival mirror reflecting human folly. Lastman, though working in the Dutch Golden Age, also plays with Baroque sensibilities, highlighting drama through exaggeration. Do you see how each figure, with their elongated features and distorted expressions, seems to embody a particular type of foolishness? Their gestures are all amplified, bordering on the grotesque. It's like he’s asking us: Who is truly the fool here? Editor: So it’s almost a question of perspective? Like, the soldier may appear foolish in this context, but... Curator: Exactly! The text above, “Mundus vult decipi” - "The world wants to be deceived" - could suggest that everyone here plays a part in some form of deception. The ‘fools’ may just be showing the soldier and, maybe us too, a truth about vanity. Maybe we willingly play the fool to avoid harsher realities? Do you find yourself siding with anyone here? Editor: Not really. The soldier certainly doesn’t appear heroic, and the others… their grins are too wide. They make me uncomfortable! It almost seems to say something bleak about human nature. Curator: Perhaps Lastman's work pushes us to acknowledge those uncomfortable aspects, encouraging reflection on where we ourselves fall on the spectrum of foolery. The fact we are discussing it now shows the artwork really succeeded in triggering that reflection. Editor: It's definitely given me a lot to think about, and maybe to question who gets the last laugh.