Een geit, een schaap en een varken 1772

Editor: Here we have Reinier Vinkeles' 1772 engraving, "A Goat, a Sheep, and a Pig," currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I’m struck by how this seemingly simple image of animals evokes a feeling of burdened labor, a world turned upside down almost. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see this print as deeply embedded within the socio-political currents of its time, and still relevant today. The visual representation of labor, particularly the figure struggling to move the cart, compels us to examine the societal structures that place such burdens on individuals. Consider the animals themselves. They are not simply passive participants; they are commodities. What does it say about our relationship to non-human animals, when we confine them to such roles? Editor: That's interesting. I was mostly seeing it as a funny farm scene. I didn't consider the labor aspect so deeply. Curator: Look closer at the period's historical context. The late 18th century was a time of immense social upheaval, with growing critiques of aristocracy and inequality, so where might this image situate itself in those conversations, what perspective does the artist take? Also, let's not forget to view this through a postcolonial lens. Editor: How so? Curator: In that, animals as resource relate back to narratives of exploiting communities through the appropriation of labor and resources. Do you notice anything in the animal's gestures? Editor: No, can you show me? Curator: There is the indifferent pose of the goat. What could the symbolism of apathy represent in Vinkeles’ rendering? How does apathy perpetuate inequality? Editor: I now perceive how much is embedded within one print! It goes beyond just seeing animals. Curator: Exactly! Art offers powerful insights, and opens a chance to reimagine the way we engage with each other and the natural world.