Man met hoed leest voor aan een boeren huishouden 1762 - 1829

Art Historian: That sounds terribly exciting! Tell me everything. Editor: We are looking at Jean Louis Demarne's, "Man met hoed leest voor aan een boeren huishouden", which I believe translates to "Man in a hat reading to a farming household", created sometime between 1762 and 1829, using etching and engraving on paper. It’s fascinating how much detail he got into this single print! It’s also kind of strange, because it looks very intimate but there are so many people around. What strikes you about it? Art Historian: It strikes a chord of days gone by, of course. All huddled together like that – were they seeking warmth, or perhaps were evenings simply the best time for storytelling, or even instruction? With all the demands on rural families during daylight hours it makes sense they'd welcome a literate guest to read aloud! Don’t you just wonder what gripping tale holds everyone so captive? I wonder too, about Demarne… Was he a witness, a wanderer himself welcomed into their circle? Did he maybe embellish reality for the sake of artistic composition? Look how theatrically he poses the lady in white. Does it feel artificial? Editor: Yes, a little. She almost looks out of place. It does seem like there are multiple focal points. Art Historian: Multiple, maybe not. But the main focus is really pulled in a great circle, wouldn't you agree? A group surrounding the central moment: The Story. Everything serves this focus, but is a story really ever about only one person? Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that before. I was caught up in wondering about individuals in the picture. Now, looking again, the details are like multiple facets of the same idea. Thanks. Art Historian: Aha, the story is getting better now!