Kop van een geit, naar links 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard made this drawing of a goat's head using graphite and gray ink, but we don't know exactly when. The image invites us to think about how the practices of zoology and art could intersect in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The detailed rendering suggests this drawing could have served a scientific purpose, perhaps as part of a study of animal anatomy. At the time, the Netherlands was part of the French Empire, which had a strong interest in natural history, and institutions like museums and zoos were starting to gain importance as places for research and public education. Yet, the drawing may also have been intended as an artwork in its own right, or as a study for a larger composition. To fully understand its place in the world, we would need to research the artist's career, the institutions that supported his work, and the broader cultural context in which it was made. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.