Het leven van De Ruyter 1875 - 1903

Editor: This is "The Life of De Ruyter," created between 1875 and 1903 by Jan de Haan, and it's a print using etching techniques. It strikes me as almost like an early comic strip, chronicling key moments in the life of this historical figure. It’s quite charming and old-fashioned. What do you see in this piece beyond the obvious narrative? Curator: Oh, I adore how you've framed it as a proto-comic! It dances on the delightful edge between reverence and something almost...domestic, doesn’t it? Like heroic tales told over tea. It makes me think of family! Perhaps that was de Haan's clever little twist - not just history, but personal connection, something akin to ancestors. The scenes remind me a little of ukiyo-e prints too. It might have intended to capture a similar broad appeal by weaving a bit of history into the everyday visual diet. How else might you explain that somewhat naive execution of what might have otherwise been heroic material? Editor: It's interesting that you mentioned family, and that it was a Kinderprenten, a children's print, and the "story" is definitely toned down. How else can we connect history with children's narratives? Curator: Consider this: history for children has always walked this fine line between instruction and instilling a certain brand of national pride, like a "best of" reel, prettified but fundamentally… a shaping tool. A gentle introduction to larger-than-life figures that are safe for bedtime story consumption, do you agree? And Jan de Haan did just that! But doesn’t that simplification sometimes miss the grit? Are we sanitising history a little TOO much here? Editor: Absolutely! It makes you wonder what was left out. Well, this was illuminating! Thank you for sharing your reflections. Curator: My pleasure. It’s always a joy to muse on history served with a spoonful of sweetness, makes you see that “history” never tells itself straight.