Zieke aap met een pijp 1834 - 1890

Charles Verlat created this print, "Sick Monkey with a Pipe," sometime in the 19th century. The image presents a simian patient attended by monkey doctors, each embodying aspects of human folly. This satirical piece reflects a time when social commentary often took the form of animal allegory. The imagery raises questions about the colonial gaze and how society caricatured certain communities. Do these animal figures play into stereotypes, or do they critique them? Consider the emotional resonance of seeing illness and care depicted through these non-human figures. The print invites viewers to consider how societal roles and power dynamics are constructed, challenging us to examine the ways in which we assign value and dignity. It asks us to reflect on the human condition through a distorted mirror.