Renard Mounted on an Ass from Hendrick van Alcmar's Renard The Fox 1650 - 1675

Editor: So this engraving, “Renard Mounted on an Ass” by Allart van Everdingen, dates to between 1650 and 1675. The composition is pretty bizarre. What’s your take on this, considering its historical context? Curator: Well, at first glance, it’s an absurd image isn’t it? We see this topsy-turvy world of animals enacting human dramas. Think about it through the lens of power dynamics. Renard, the fox, a symbol of cunning and deceit, is literally riding high. How might this be a critique of societal hierarchies during the Dutch Golden Age? Editor: So you're saying the artist is using animals to comment on social issues? Curator: Precisely. Consider the literary source: the medieval “Reynard the Fox” tales. These stories often served as allegories for social critique, lampooning the aristocracy and clergy. Is Everdingen also doing this, reflecting the socio-political climate of his time? Is it maybe addressing class resentment during the growth of mercantilism? Editor: It makes me think about those images you see even today, of the elite literally riding on the backs of the working class. But are we reading too much into it? Maybe it's just a funny picture? Curator: Art never exists in a vacuum. These animal fables gain potency when considered against the backdrop of the power structures. How else can we decipher why Everdingen uses a bear and a dog to build this narrative? Editor: You've made me consider how what appears like simple animal stories can really mirror complex societal structures. Thank you for revealing new context for this etching. Curator: My pleasure! It's this very dialogue between art and culture that can offer deeper understanding of it.