Man gezeten voor een boekenkast met een schrijfveer achter zijn oor en een muis in zijn hand 1888

Jos Ratinckx created this etching, "Man seated in front of a bookcase with a pen behind his ear and a mouse in his hand," in the late 19th or early 20th century. Ratinckx, born in Belgium, lived through a period of significant social and political change. This piece may initially strike you as a simple portrait, but let’s consider the symbols within it. The man, deeply engrossed in his reading, seems oblivious to the mouse he holds. What does it mean to hold power over something we barely notice? The pen tucked behind his ear suggests intellectual pursuits, yet the mouse hints at a darker, perhaps more primal aspect of existence. Is Ratinckx pointing to the blind spots within scholarly life? By juxtaposing the scholarly with the mundane, Ratinckx invites us to reflect on the intersections of knowledge, power, and the often-unseen realities that shape our perceptions. The artwork prompts a consideration of how we engage with both our intellectual endeavors and the tangible world around us.