Fabel van de muilezels en de struikrovers 1769

This small etching, "Fable of the Mules and the Highwaymen," was created by Simon Fokke in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-18th century. It presents a scene, likely drawn from popular fables, of bandits accosting mules laden with goods. The image creates meaning through established visual codes. The robbers, with their cudgels and menacing stances, are contrasted with the burdened, passive mules. This reflects the social structure of the time, marked by inequalities and the constant threat of disruption to trade and commerce. The Rijksmuseum, as an institution, plays a role in preserving and presenting such images, giving value to the artistic skill and the record of social life it provides. To understand this work fully, it is essential to research the popular fables and social conditions of the 18th-century Netherlands. The historian uses resources like period literature, economic records, and social histories to contextualize such works. The meaning of this etching, therefore, is contingent on the society and institutions that shaped its production and reception.