Breeding bull (after Joh.Adam Klein) 1818

Heinrich Papin created this image, “Breeding bull (after Joh.Adam Klein),” using etching, sometime before his death in 1839. This image reflects the 19th-century preoccupation with idealized forms and the burgeoning field of animal husbandry. Papin, working in a time of significant social stratification, reproduces Klein's vision of pastoral life, but through the added medium of etching, the image gains another layer of accessibility. How might this image function within the context of 19th-century Germany, as land and agricultural production became increasingly important markers of wealth and power? The bull stands as a potent symbol of virility and strength, but also of labor and economic value. It invites us to consider the complex relationships between humans, animals, and the natural world, and to reflect on the ways in which we assign value and meaning to each.