Oprichten van vrijheidsboom te Klundert, 1793 1793 - 1795

Editor: This engraving from sometime between 1793 and 1795, by Cornelis Bogerts, is titled "Erection of the Liberty Tree at Klundert, 1793". The figures appear almost celebratory, raising this tree. It seems so meticulously rendered for a street scene. What catches your eye? Curator: Oh, this little window into Dutch history always stirs something in me. It's more than just a snapshot; it’s like a whispered secret from a time of immense change. That tree they’re raising? It's not just a tree, is it? It’s hope, rebellion, a touch of madness perhaps. Freedom can feel like that sometimes - a dizzying dance on the edge of what’s known. Editor: Freedom as a dizzying dance...I like that. What's with the rooster on top of the pole? Curator: Ah, the rooster! A symbol, layered with meaning! In those days, the rooster, in French at least, Gaulois, sounds like Gallus, which means, well, someone from Gaul! A cheeky nod towards France maybe? An embrace of revolutionary ideals finding their way north? What I find curious is how it depicts an event happening right here in the Netherlands, influenced by revolutionary fervor, but rendered with such distinct… Dutch sensibilities. Practical. Grounded. Even amidst the revolution! Editor: So the revolution arrives but keeps its hat on indoors! Curator: Exactly! Revolution, but make it sensible! Tell me, looking at this piece now, after our little jaunt, what’s the story you think it’s trying to whisper? Editor: I see a complex time, captured with care; maybe the revolution isn't some abstract idea, but just folks wanting a better future, doing their best with the means they have. Curator: Beautifully put. That, my friend, is the true magic of art – it holds a mirror to our past, so we can glimpse our own humanity reflected back.