Hier staat de trotze paauw te prijken / Met al zijn veeren uitgespreyt / De haan zal het u in moed niet wijken; Terwijl de hen de eyeren leyd 1725 - 1780

Editor: This print, dating from 1725-1780 by Johannes Kannewet, depicts a gathering of fowl, a peacock displaying its plumage alongside chickens and hens. There’s a curious contrast between the peacock's ostentatious display and the hen’s humble egg-laying. What symbolic weight might these images carry, and how might they have been received in their time? Curator: Precisely. Note how Kannewet renders each bird – the peacock monumental and proud, contrasted by the industrious hen, head bowed. This echoes popular moral emblems of the era. The peacock often represents pride and vanity, vices cautioned against, while the hen symbolizes domesticity and dutiful labor. How might this juxtaposition tap into broader societal anxieties and ideals? Editor: So, is it fair to assume that people back then were pretty familiar with these symbols, seeing them and making these connections immediately? Curator: Absolutely. Visual language was a powerful tool for communicating values. Furthermore, consider the historical context: the Dutch Golden Age had faded, and societal emphasis shifted towards moral instruction and domestic virtues. This print subtly participates in that didactic conversation. Does knowing this change how you perceive the scene? Editor: Definitely. At first glance, it’s a charming domestic scene. But understanding the symbolic language gives it a whole new layer of meaning. The artist, then, becomes almost like a social commentator. Curator: Precisely! Kannewet utilizes a shared cultural lexicon, allowing us a glimpse into the prevailing values and aspirations of 18th-century Dutch society. We see the artist less as a mere recorder and more as a commentator on values through images. Editor: It's fascinating how these visual symbols still resonate today, even if their meanings have shifted over time. This print offers not only artistic value, but cultural memory embedded within familiar figures. Curator: Indeed, it highlights the lasting power of imagery to encode complex cultural narratives, reminding us to decode and discover those meanings within art from all eras.