Beroepen en bezigheden 1822 - 1849

Alexander Cranendoncq created this print, "Beroepen en bezigheden," likely in the early 19th century. Immediately, one notices the division of the pictorial field, twelve distinct rectangles, each framing a scene of daily life. This structured composition, rendered in muted blues and browns, offers a systematic view of various occupations. Cranendoncq employs a form of visual cataloging, almost like a page from an encyclopedia, to present the trades and activities of his time. The use of line is prominent, defining the figures and architectural settings with a crisp precision, yet the limited color palette reduces these scenes to their essential forms. One might consider this work through the lens of structuralism. Cranendoncq presents a system, a structured overview of society divided by labor. The print encourages us to consider the relationships between these various roles and the broader social order they constitute. The formal structure emphasizes a society neatly compartmentalized.