Affiche voor Zegepraal door Israël Querido 1923

Jan Sluijters made this poster, Affiche voor Zegepraal door Israël Querido, using a combination of printing techniques and drawing. The image promotes a stage production, its stylized figure gesturing to the triumph evoked by the title, which translates as "Triumph". Made in the Netherlands, perhaps around the 1920s, the poster reflects the influence of the Amsterdam School, with its decorative forms and symbolic content. The Amsterdam School arose in the context of a rapidly industrializing society and a growing socialist movement. As such, its stylized aesthetic countered the traditional art establishment. What can be gleaned from the poster, is that artists contributed to the cultural and political life of the city. To understand more, we might research the connections between art and the theatre in Amsterdam at this time. It's by situating artworks within the relevant artistic, social and political contexts, that we can come to a deeper understanding of its meaning and significance.