Kinderen de Zardammer stier, Zijn groote wreedheid ziet gy hier 1822 - 1849

Curator: Today we're looking at a print titled "Kinderen de Zardammer Stier, Zijn groote wreedheid ziet gy hier," which roughly translates to "Children of the Zardam Bull, You See Here His Great Cruelty." It was created sometime between 1822 and 1849 by Jan Hendrik de Lange. Editor: Oh my, it’s… intense! A chaotic scene. My first impression? That bull is having a VERY bad day. Someone's been gored, and another figure's being hoisted up on a pole—looks rather theatrical, a bit like street theatre. The decorative floral border almost feels ironically cheerful given the mayhem in the center! Curator: That contrast is interesting, isn't it? The ornate border seems to almost "frame" and thus, normalize this narrative, making us consider how such displays of violence were viewed in De Lange's time. Consider also how childhood intersects with this theme; it certainly adds a complex layer to the analysis of violence, doesn't it? What kind of commentary could the artist have been offering? Editor: Hmm… Perhaps it’s playing with our expectations. It appears as folk art at first glance with those floral accents, but the violent central image quickly pulls you away. I wonder about the pole-- I sense an aspiration for, a comical elevation of a mortal into something... else. There's a touch of slapstick there. I wonder, did the Zardammer bull truly embody exceptional cruelty or is this image an indictment of humans' interaction with it? I mean, it seems to react in self-defense here... Curator: That pushes us to consider our contemporary ethics and responsibilities, our interventions and our narratives around the natural world, our position as superior moral agent--I like that you introduce this line of questioning through form. Looking more closely, this is a sketch book art with pen and ink details; an intimate piece that speaks volumes about the social context it was made in. How are we today complicit in the depiction or representation of violence? The bull might also represent systems that oppress and gore those who fall within its wake... Editor: Exactly! See, that makes me think-- who are *our* bulls today? That could apply to societal systems as you say, or political leaders. Art's just asking questions and the frame—that initially jarring, playful garland—ends up underlining a point: that even the most beautiful wrapping can't always hide some unpleasant truths. So thanks for unpacking that, really. This seemingly simple little engraving packs a punch, doesn’t it?