Maskerade door studenten van de Leidse Hogeschool, 1840 (plaat 1) 1840

Editor: This is "Maskerade door studenten van de Leidse Hogeschool, 1840 (plaat 1)" a pencil drawing by Jacobus Ludovicus Cornet, here at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as surprisingly formal for something titled "Maskerade," almost like a history painting but with a hint of satire. What do you make of it? Curator: It’s a curious beast, isn't it? A procession of figures on horseback, rendered with such precision, and yet… those elaborate costumes do hint at a playful undertone. What period do you think it's referencing with those costumes? It feels like a historical re-imagining filtered through the lens of student revelry, wouldn’t you agree? Almost as if they're playfully performing the weight of history itself. Editor: It definitely looks like they're dressing up in medieval armor! And the spears… Are they maybe acting out some grand battle or historical event as part of a student celebration? Curator: Exactly! That's the joy of it for me: the slippage between reverence and irreverence. Think of the drawing as a stage. Each character is acting and embodying an older time. Yet, they aren't fully committing. They are students having fun; therefore, the historical aspect might just be something superficial to the setting. How much do you think a work like this would affect audiences now? Editor: It's true! It's funny to think of it as something playful because when I first saw it, I didn't realize that's how students would interact with such serious imagery back then. Thanks! I learned something new. Curator: It gives you some insight of an earlier time; one with its own social functions and nuances that perhaps mirror our time as well. Every now and then, when walking through museum aisles, it helps to just let things happen in order to reveal some personal associations, right?