Errand Girls 1894

Richard Ranft created this etching, ‘Errand Girls,’ capturing a moment in time. Consider the mice scampering at the women’s feet—often, the mouse is a symbol of unnoticed detail, of a world teeming with life beyond our immediate perception. The image invites us to consider the unseen, the small dramas unfolding beneath the surface of polite society. These mice evoke similar motifs found in Dutch still life paintings where a mouse nibbling at a feast reminds the viewer of life's fragility. The presence of rodents has long served as a memento mori. Just as in earlier vanitas paintings, the mice here, combined with the floral wallpaper, invite reflection on beauty's decay and the ephemeral nature of existence. There’s a psychological undercurrent here. The mice, almost subliminal, create a sense of unease, tapping into our deepest fears about the fleeting nature of life. This disquieting element engages us, stirring subconscious anxieties about mortality and decay. The mice motif resurfaces, evolving from moralistic reminders to symbols of subtle subversion, inviting us to see beyond the surface and contemplate the hidden realities of our world.