December 1722 - 1784

Curator: This engraving is titled "December" and was created by Simon Fokke sometime between 1722 and 1784. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. The technique, engraving, allowed for the creation of prints and multiples, influencing its reach and consumption. Editor: My immediate impression is of a lively winter scene, almost like a glimpse into a bustling town square during the holiday season. It’s rendered with such delicate lines; you can almost feel the cold air. Curator: Absolutely, Fokke used line etching to create this landscape, and considering it was part of a series likely aimed at a growing middle-class market, the ease of production and affordability would have been paramount. It really speaks to the democratization of art at the time, doesn’t it? Editor: I think so. Beyond just a winter scene, ice skating evokes very strong feelings and iconography of Dutch life, play, leisure but also skill, and possibly, depending on the balance, also folly when the ice might crack. What I like here is that figures inhabit both sides of the bridge. It seems like there might be people more well to do observing a public entertainment. Curator: That’s insightful. It highlights the interaction between different social strata and perhaps how artistic creation served various consumption levels in 18th-century Dutch society. Editor: Notice how the bare trees in the background, together with that darkening sky, evoke that time of year where light is short. You know, the bridge motif could symbolize connections, or perhaps a boundary between different realms. Also, the little dog running on the ice seems to add a lighthearted counterpoint to the scene. Curator: The lines certainly evoke a sense of spontaneity, despite being a print, as we spoke, meant for reproducibility and potentially widespread access. Editor: So, while seemingly just a snapshot of winter fun, “December” shows not only an aesthetic depiction of a season, but I agree, also sheds light on the industrial, societal, and cultural facets of its time, Curator: It gives us a beautiful illustration of production, commerce, and class interaction intertwined with aesthetics and leisure. Editor: Precisely! And, I see now a deeper narrative woven into those delicate lines. Thank you.