De kat van baas Janssen 1894 - 1959

Curator: Allow me to introduce Jules Maurel's lithograph, "De kat van baas Janssen," dating between 1894 and 1959. Editor: Well, it’s quite charming, though unsettlingly frenetic! All these narrative moments squeezed together—the eye doesn’t quite know where to settle. The colour palette is rather sweet however. Curator: Note how Maurel employs pen and ink to delineate these twelve sequential panels on paper. The narrative, of course, centres on the cat of "Boss Janssen," showcasing scenes in a comic-strip format, that lean into genre painting. Editor: Indeed. You can clearly trace the artist's hand, especially when the narrative flows through different social relations – the cat, the children, and Boss Janssen. I'm curious about the choices of print medium to translate domestic space onto paper. How was this artwork originally consumed? And where? Curator: An intriguing question! The paper material offers a tactile element to what may be a satirical reflection on domestic life, yes? The figures are delineated using figuration within a structured sequence. I wonder what theoretical intent is activated? Editor: The structure reminds me of those didactic moral stories aimed at children. I think the emphasis lies in revealing the labor involved, particularly Boss Janssen’s toil that allows him the leisure to possess the cat in the first place, creating this entire performance for the youngsters! Curator: Yes, and the linearity serves to heighten that message, that even childhood exuberance necessitates labor behind the scenes to allow for leisure and the pleasures found with domestic animals. The repetitive, simplified figuration reinforces this binary, it seems. Editor: I'd like to reflect on the choice of ink to represent domestic mischief. There's a clever contrast between the refined process of the print medium, with the chaos of the image. Curator: So, we appreciate, ultimately, a playful study in contrasts of form and materiality. Editor: A printed snapshot of work, class, and cat-induced chaos!