Twee jongens in een badkuip - Alfaro Reijding

A satirical 1894 lithograph by Alfaro Reijding commenting on the introduction of school baths in Amsterdam.

This lithograph by Dutch artist Alfaro Reijding serves as a satirical commentary on municipal policy in late nineteenth-century Amsterdam. Published in 'Het Geïllustreerd Politie-Nieuws' on 25 October 1894, the work addresses the debate regarding the introduction of school baths. The composition features two young boys bathing in a tub, positioned directly before the statue of the former mayor, Gijsbert van Tienhoven. Two prominent politicians stand on either side, observing the scene with an air of bureaucratic detachment. The inclusion of an advertisement for 'Deli-Extra-Stout' at the top of the print provides a stark contrast between the commercial interests of the era and the social reforms being debated by the city council.

Reijding employs a clear, illustrative line quality typical of the period's satirical press. The figures are rendered with a focus on caricature, capturing the stiff postures of the politicians against the informal, playful nature of the children. The statue of Van Tienhoven acts as a silent, monumental witness to the administrative indecision, reflecting the public discourse on whether hygiene education should be integrated into the school system. The text below the image, 'Het Dagelijksch Bestuur in zake de Schoolbaden' (The Daily Administration regarding School Baths), clarifies the specific political context of the piece. This print offers a glimpse into the visual culture of the Dutch press during the 1890s, where political satire was a primary medium for engaging with urban governance and social change. The work remains a document of the period's preoccupation with public health and the role of local government in the lives of its citizens.