Ook Feest 1923

Albert Funke Küpper made this drawing, titled 'Ook Feest', with graphite on paper. It shows a doorway decorated with a Dutch flag and garlands and includes the inscription “Ook Feest!”, meaning “Also a Party!”. The image was produced in November 1919, a time of significant social and political change in the Netherlands following the First World War. The Dutch flag is prominently displayed, signaling a moment of national celebration. But what exactly was being celebrated here? Was it the end of the war, or perhaps a more localized event? Küpper’s choice of subject matter encourages us to reflect on the role of national symbols in shaping collective identity and memory. To fully understand this work, we could explore Dutch newspapers and political pamphlets from 1919. We could visit local archives to research events happening at that specific time. Only then can we truly understand the public role of art as something contingent on its moment in time.