Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1865 (plaat 10) 1865

Curator: This is a watercolor illustration entitled "Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1865 (plaat 10)," created in 1865 by Jan Daniël Cornelis Carel Willem baron de Constant Rebecque. It captures a masquerade by students in Leiden. Editor: It feels like a storybook illustration, doesn't it? The muted colors and linear composition give it an almost naive, processional quality. Curator: Indeed. The illustration depicts what seems to be a historical re-enactment put on by the students. Note the costumes are reminiscent of the Middle Ages. Editor: Exactly, the clothing! Look at the variations, from the riders on horseback in what looks like chainmail to the folks walking with tools of war or hunting. All of this labor and adornment rendered with watercolor; such a seemingly delicate medium to document what looks like a rowdy historical parade. I find that fascinating. Curator: Consider this from a political viewpoint. The piece may have acted as a source of comfort. With history painting gaining prominence, there was a desire to construct an image of Dutch nationalism. The watercolor likely resonated deeply with a generation eager for heroes. Editor: I agree, but what kind of heroism? Not battles in faraway lands, but a controlled historical drama played out within a very specific cultural space: the university. It seems the act of production, from the textile to the very act of students playing dress up, elevates the material. Curator: Certainly. And one can interpret the romantic style itself as a reaction to industrialisation—a longing to go back in time. It’s the political made visible and also felt. Editor: It is also crucial to notice its reproduction through watercolor. It transforms it into an accessible medium. What previously was inaccessible, is being reconstructed here. It reflects cultural attitudes in the era by literally capturing and recreating those beliefs in material form. Curator: The artist managed to create an inspiring, almost fantastical scene out of a real-life public celebration and this piece showcases both an image and sentiment prevalent in that time period. Editor: So we're left considering both the real and represented processions here: of students in costume as well as the lasting procession of material making through artistic reinterpretation.