Fotoreproductie van een schilderij door Velázquez, voorstellend een portret van Aesopus c. 1860 - 1875

This is a photographic reproduction of a painting by Diego Velázquez, representing a portrait of Aesop. This image offers a glimpse into the complex interplay between representation and identity in the 17th century. Velázquez, a court painter, lived in a society deeply structured by class and race. His decision to paint Aesop, a figure known for his wisdom but also his enslaved origins and supposed physical ugliness, is both intriguing and subversive. Velázquez challenges the conventional portraits of the time. Aesop is depicted with dignity, holding a scroll, a symbol of his intellect. Here we can observe how Velazquez sought to dignify his subject, without ever questioning the foundations of his inferior status. This photograph captures not just an image, but the weight of history and the stories we tell ourselves about who deserves to be remembered.