Jongen met een rommelpot 1705 - 1741

Editor: This is "Le Fou de Carnaval," or "The Carnival Fool," an engraving by Jean Aubert, dating sometime between 1705 and 1741. He’s got a crazy hat, a "rommelpot," sausages slung over his shoulder… It’s playful, almost absurd, but also a bit melancholic. What do you see in it? Curator: It tickles me, truly. Aubert captures that fleeting carnival spirit—joy teetering on the edge of… well, sausages and an earthenware pot for making farting sounds! It’s a portrait of ephemeral pleasure, perhaps. The inscription reads: “Today in joy and tomorrow in sorrow, Reader, such is human life.” Heavy stuff for such a lighthearted image, no? Almost a Dutch "vanitas" sentiment hidden inside French Baroque revelry. Tell me, what do *you* make of that contrast? Editor: It’s a great point. The inscription almost acts as a counterpoint to the apparent frivolity. It's like he's winking at the viewer, reminding us of the temporary nature of fun. Curator: Exactly! And look at his eyes, that knowing smirk… He’s in on the joke, a wise fool. It reminds me of the court jesters, those tolerated truth-tellers cloaked in jest. Makes you wonder if Aubert intended a subtle commentary on societal structures too? Maybe about those times, where food was precious but so was entertainment and celebration? Editor: I hadn’t considered that! Seeing it that way definitely adds a whole layer to the artwork. Now I also find him a bit cynical and even world weary, in a very knowing and perhaps even humorous way. Curator: Precisely! Isn't it amazing how a seemingly simple engraving can hold so much depth? I find he also embodies resilience. Despite everything life may throw at you - here the world weary "carnival fool" - there is a part of you that carries on anyway! That still laughs, celebrates. Very intriguing.