De Vernietiging van de Oude Constitutie, decoratie op de Botermarkt, 1795 1795

Curator: Here we have a mixed-media print by Noach van der Meer (II), titled "The Destruction of the Old Constitution, Decoration on the Butter Market, 1795." Editor: My initial reaction is surprise. It's a meticulously rendered building, almost like a stage set, but with a peculiar sort of triumphant sadness hanging in the air. Is it supposed to be a funeral pyre? Curator: It's fascinating that you pick up on that melancholy. Considering its historical context, the piece captures a pivotal moment in Dutch history with the arrival of the French revolutionary forces and the subsequent end of the old order. It's very much about the sociopolitical upheaval and how it was visually represented to the public at the time. The building itself represents the Old Constitution being torn down, and that, in itself, is violent, disruptive…yet considered liberating by some. Editor: The pastel palette adds another layer of unexpected calm. Revolution typically comes across bold and loud, not like this gentle dismantling. But maybe that’s what’s clever here. What appears to be peace might be hiding raw emotion simmering under the surface. Also, that strange mix of classic architectural touches and almost fairytale details makes me wonder who the intended audience was. Curator: A broad audience, I imagine. These celebratory structures erected for public viewing in the markets and squares served to disseminate a very specific message from the new powers. There's neoclassicism interwoven, visually asserting this fresh era, a supposed return to enlightened ideals, order, reason after what was characterized as chaos under the stadtholders. Editor: Order and reason rarely arrive without leaving casualties, physical and ideological. I wonder if viewers felt purely celebratory seeing this at the time, or maybe carried some silent mourning for the structures collapsing, for better or worse. Curator: Exactly. That tension between what is being presented and the complex emotions it might evoke— that's what makes this such a compelling piece for me. It prompts reflection about historical narratives and power. Editor: Yes, it reveals much, doesn't it? I'm left feeling that beneath this pretty exterior is so much conflict… something about that is rather affecting. I appreciate having my eye drawn into that.