Familietaferelen 1837 - 1854

Curator: This is *Familietaferelen*, a work dating roughly from 1837 to 1854, by Willem Frederik Wehmeyer. It’s an engraving, rendered in ink, belonging to the tradition of graphic arts. Editor: At first glance, there’s a charmingly sentimental feel, like looking through the window of an ideal domestic world. The use of vignette scenes framed by what seems to be a grapevine border softens the hard edges one might expect from an engraving. Curator: Indeed. The vine motif has deep roots, of course, in Christian symbolism—evoking themes of communion and abundance, as well as family bonds. Editor: And those individual scenes! A dancing couple, a man serenading children with a guitar, even a Christ-like figure hovering at the top... The composition gives the eye little rest, guiding it almost obsessively around its decorative borders. Curator: That "Christ-like" figure resonates strongly; it calls to mind the widespread religious revivals occurring throughout Europe at this time. Images of familial bliss were also meant to instill values and perhaps spiritual aspiration through their associations of peace, loyalty and abundance under God. It seems Wehmeyer strategically positioned these various narratives. Editor: I see the structural elements working quite harmoniously, really. There is a rhythmic play between darker, heavily-inked segments and the lighter, open space in the center, establishing balance. How this space once functioned for viewers I can only begin to imagine. Curator: Quite so! "Familietaferelen," can be read as visual program for society: familial roles represented in vignettes along the frame guide the viewer’s eye inward towards a mirrored reflection that completes itself with a reminder of a common belief. These carefully constructed frames create enduring impressions within societal values. Editor: Thinking about Wehmeyer's careful arrangement and delicate technique, it makes one consider what this reveals of bourgeois sensibilities of the time. Curator: Ultimately, the combination of everyday life within an embellished symbolic framework results in an idealistic presentation of human aspiration within an everyday reality. Editor: I appreciate noticing its sentimentality of image, especially given its skillful articulation through line and form to create, overall, quite a moving piece of art.