Bijenkorven / Muzikanten rond een tafel / Vriendschap / Maaltijd before 1767

Curator: Here we have "Bijenkorven / Muzikanten rond een tafel / Vriendschap / Maaltijd" created before 1767 by Cornelis van Noorde, held in the Rijksmuseum. It's an engraving, and quite detailed. Editor: It feels a bit like a storyboard, almost. Four separate scenes, but they're unified by a clear aesthetic. A certain... rigidity? The figures feel a little stiff, a little posed. Curator: Each of these vignettes presents a certain allegory on community and friendship. We have beekeepers by their hives, musicians performing, men clasping hands, and people sharing a meal. Think of the era; the communal aspect of life was highly valued. This engraving highlights those ties that bind. Editor: The beekeepers stand out. Bees have long been associated with industriousness, cooperation. Perhaps the artist is drawing parallels between the structured society of a hive and the ideal human society? I see the figures as emblematic; almost archetypes. They reflect values regarding brotherhood and working together. Curator: Yes, consider the implications within a deeply hierarchical 18th-century society. These weren't merely genre scenes; they subtly advocated for a vision of shared prosperity and mutual respect. I think also that in understanding this image it is vital that we understand the ways class structure may be playing a roll, and in its time period this idea of mutuality was inherently radical, maybe. Editor: And look at the final image – a domestic scene. The cat at the table, the family gathered… This invokes warmth and domesticity; these small signifiers root us in the everyday humanity these higher level themes apply to. Curator: Exactly. And let's not ignore the historical context of printmaking itself. Prints democratized art. These ideals of community could spread far wider thanks to this very medium, connecting diverse communities across social strata. Editor: The symbolism, and especially as it resonates now, is quite potent, and in each one of these quadrants there is always this idea of community. The musical performance has an almost religious ecstasy to it; so clearly harmony in the emotional sense and physical is present in it. The work still strikes a chord. Curator: It reminds us of the timeless values needed for social cohesion and that are especially valuable today, I agree, after a long absence. The artist captures something vital in these tableaus, giving new perspectives in regards to class that still stay strong through our future.