Zonder zorgen 1892 - 1905

Curator: This is "Zonder Zorgen," which translates to "Without Worries," a print made sometime between 1892 and 1905 by W. Romey, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It has such an antiquated and innocent feeling. It’s comprised of six scenes, accompanied by text in Dutch, like little glimpses into carefree moments. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on societal values and the construction of childhood innocence. This print, produced during a time of rapid industrialization, harkens back to pre-industrial, romanticized visions of leisure, both within the family and through children's innocent play. Editor: Do you think there is something more specific we could explore? Curator: Well, let’s look at the image of the children playing soldier in the central panel, compared to the image in the lower left of the girl “at study” reading from her book. Aren’t we, perhaps, seeing the push and pull between structured education and the allure of fantasy, the tension between learning and just *being*? What roles do these prescribed moments of leisure and mandated education play? Who benefits from them? Editor: I hadn't considered the underlying messaging about work, class and the family… Curator: Exactly! It prompts questions about how we, as a society, construct ideas around productivity, childhood, and the ways these get transmitted. The layout almost mimics the flow of children’s games, shifting, a kaleidoscope of shifting contexts, but ever grounded with what might seem nostalgic, but is, at the very least, ideological. Editor: It’s amazing how a print depicting childhood innocence can actually reveal such a complex commentary on societal norms. I learned so much by considering it from a historical perspective! Curator: Exactly, we can see here that childhood—the ultimate freedom from responsibility—is very much an artificially cultivated ideal.