Dit is het trouwgeval en wondellyk schouwspel / Dat is hier afgebeeld van Urbanus en Isabel 1810

Curator: This engraving from 1810, by Jan Hendriksen, titled "Dit is het trouwgeval en wondellyk schouwspel / Dat is hier afgebeeld van Urbanus en Isabel," it’s essentially an early comic strip depicting a courtship. What stands out to you initially? Editor: It’s definitely unusual! The sequential images tell a story, almost like reading panels in a comic book, but from the 19th century. The style feels naive and quite charming. How do you interpret this work in a historical context? Curator: Consider the social implications of representing courtship in this way. How did societal expectations surrounding love and marriage influence Hendriksen's artistic choices? Was he critiquing the bourgeois conventions of marriage, or perhaps reinforcing them? This work gives insight to gender dynamics. Editor: So, could it be a commentary on arranged marriages? Or the economic transactions inherent in courtship rituals of the time? Curator: Precisely. Or even a more subversive questioning of love as property. The almost storyboard layout emphasizes the performative aspect of relationships. How might class and access to power impact Urbanus and Isabel's experience, or more broadly the intended audience for such print? Editor: That's fascinating! It’s much more complex than it first appears. I never considered the narrative structure as potentially critical of social norms. Curator: Exactly! This challenges the romanticised version we often receive, inviting a nuanced analysis. So what new questions does this image spark for you? Editor: It makes me wonder about the stories of women and non-binary folk who didn’t conform to the standard narrative presented here. What other visual languages did they employ? Curator: An excellent and important point! We should actively seek out and amplify their contributions as well. Editor: It’s so great how context can bring artwork to life. Thank you!