Oude heremiet op een plein 1779

Curator: Here we have a piece titled "Oude heremiet op een plein," or "Old Hermit in a Square," created by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki in 1779. It's a pen and print drawing—an engraving, really—currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is how theatrical the scene is. The composition funnels your eye right to the old hermit, amidst a gathered crowd; it looks as though she is on a stage performing. Curator: That's a great point about the theatricality. Chodowiecki worked within a burgeoning Neoclassical sensibility, so this staged presentation aligns with an interest in conveying moral or historical narratives for public edification. Look at how the crowd frames the main action in both prints. Editor: So, we have this hermit seemingly addressing a crowd, and on the right is another scene where they gather around someone sitting, and there seems to be documentation present? Curator: Exactly. The scene presents figures engrossed with someone at work, perhaps an author, scribe or artist, suggesting it may well reference artistic labour, and thus comment on the cultural role of artists and intellectuals in society. Editor: Considering Chodowiecki was also a printmaker himself, do you think he purposefully crafted his cultural positioning? The fact that the work is also replicated via print only enhances the idea of cultural memory. Curator: Precisely. The act of reproducing this image itself amplifies its reach, enabling broader societal access and dialogue concerning morality, philosophy and virtue. Editor: There's a somber feeling, too, with these tones... This isn't celebratory Neoclassicism like David’s. This looks much more ordinary and the crowd seems ordinary people. Curator: Right, this is genre painting. Chodowiecki very consciously focused on domestic or "everyday" settings with his pieces as commentary. It invites the viewer to self reflect based on similar conditions from day to day. Editor: I find myself contemplating this image differently now. Curator: Indeed, it shows us how art could be seen as a looking glass for society.