Ein vornehmer Mann bewirtet drei Männer 

Curator: Well, that’s a bit wild! Is this what happens when the party gets a little too jovial? Editor: It's definitely… spirited. David Jorisz., a Netherlandish artist active in the 16th century, is the hand behind this ink and watercolor drawing on toned paper. It’s titled “Ein vornehmer Mann bewirtet drei Männer” – A Distinguished Man Serving Three Men. Curator: Okay, distinguished, yes, I guess. There's certainly a sense of, um, robust generosity on display. Look at all that fleshy exuberance, that embrace of, well, just being human in all its glory. The babies suckling! Editor: Exuberance, absolutely. The abundance you observe, along with its allegorical subject, aligns this piece with a broader societal fascination. But I find it really problematic – it feels like such a gendered spectacle. These plump figures, so idealized, almost objectified, while the "distinguished man," remains the implied center of attention. What kind of generosity is it if its rooted in inequity? Curator: Perhaps. But aren’t the most profound artistic statements, aren't those where the shadow plays as big a role as the light? It feels honest about humanity's imperfections. Also, don’t those figures convey a primal sort of maternal love? Editor: Maybe, but what strikes me here is the complete absence of… diversity, let’s say. Everyone appears remarkably similar – and, I must say, very European. How does this exclusive representation shape the narrative? It's not just about motherhood; it's about *whose* motherhood gets celebrated. Curator: Mmm, a valid point. Although I also detect notes of historical importance— it could point towards the manner in which social relations operated. Anyway, for me the charm lies precisely in its weirdness, its raw unrefined energy. I mean, who has ever seen anything remotely like this? It stands out for being just itself and nothing else. Editor: That very specific “itself,” with its particular gaze, is exactly what compels us to interrogate its place and purpose within our collection, to push beyond simply admiring a quirky picture. Curator: All art, great art anyway, starts and ends as a provocation I guess. Editor: A necessary, at times unwelcome, provocation, especially within the archive.