Verkeerde wereld 1822 - 1849

Editor: Here we have "Verkeerde wereld" – that's "World Upside Down" in English – an etching and engraving by I.I. de Lanier, sometime between 1822 and 1849. It reminds me of a very early comic strip. It has a dark and sarcastic kind of humour to it. How would you interpret it? Curator: Oh, I like that "early comic strip" idea; that works so well here, capturing how Lanier throws everyday life into a cocked hat. The world turned on its head... what does that even mean, eh? Think of it as flipping the script, turning societal norms inside out like a sock puppet. Consider that perhaps it invites us to laugh at, or perhaps question, established order... it certainly doesn’t leave you indifferent! See how each panel presents a topsy-turvy scenario. Doesn’t that set your mind whirring? Editor: Definitely. Like, the donkey giving the man a piggyback is quite amusing, yet subversive! So, Lanier is poking fun at authority then? Curator: Absolutely. Remember this was made quite a while ago, a time steeped in social hierarchies and expectations, yet those satirical jabs still resonate today. How might Lanier use similar images if he were making art today, I wonder... political satire maybe? It gets the cogs turning doesn't it? Editor: It certainly does. Now I see it's not just random funny images, it's a critique. A way of challenging the viewers and also something quite current. Thank you for enlightening me.