Botten uit het been van een paard before 1869

This is a photograph of a horse’s lower leg bone, its maker unknown. Consider the bone itself – once part of a living creature, now a relic unearthed. Its material qualities speak of time, decay, and the slow processes of nature. The photograph, likely taken in the late 19th or early 20th century, captures the stark reality of the bone against a dark background, emphasizing its texture and form. The choice of subject matter is intriguing: a fragment of the animal kingdom, presented as an object of scientific or historical interest. In the 19th century, the rise of natural history and paleontology, driven by capitalist expansion and resource extraction, led to the collection and classification of objects from around the world. This image reflects that broader trend, raising questions about labor, knowledge, and the human relationship with the natural world.