Brandkast 1890s - 1900s

Editor: So this pencil drawing is called "Brandkast," which translates to "Safe" or "Vault," made sometime between the 1890s and 1900s by Jan de Waardt. It immediately strikes me as satirical. The man on top looks so pompous. How would you interpret its meaning in the context of its time? Curator: Absolutely. De Waardt clearly uses caricature to critique power structures. The stout figure atop the "Brandkast," surrounded by symbols of wealth, suggests financial control. The bowing figures below signify dependence or perhaps even supplication to that power. This image likely reflects anxieties prevalent at the turn of the century regarding burgeoning capitalism and the control of wealth. What does ‘Brandkast’ –the vault or safe– signify to you in terms of institutions at the time? Editor: It suggests to me the emerging banking system, the power it wielded, and the inequality it could foster, but I wonder if it targeted any particular event. Curator: Perhaps, but more broadly it speaks to anxieties about centralized economic power, institutions, and control over national finance during this period in the Netherlands. These types of critiques weren't uncommon and are reminiscent of similar caricatures found in the press at the time. Considering the Rijksmuseum houses it now, what does this say about the evolving place of satirical political art in Dutch cultural heritage? Editor: It says a lot about how cultural values and artistic perception have shifted! It's gone from a critical piece of political commentary to being a historical artifact displayed in a national museum. That is interesting in itself. Curator: Exactly. And, arguably, now open to interpretations unforeseen at the time of its making! It certainly gives a lens into our social understanding of this historical period.