Groene ezel 1778 - 1785

Curator: Here we have "Groene ezel", or "Green Donkey", a late 18th-century engraving by Noach van der Meer the Younger, now residing here at the Rijksmuseum. It seems to depict a fairly lively street scene. Editor: Oh, look, my first impression is that it feels staged somehow, like a scene from a play! The donkey’s got a garland, like he is a prize, and everyone's a bit overdressed for an ordinary day. The monochrome, though, gives it an interesting melancholic touch. Curator: Precisely. Van der Meer positions this print firmly within the tradition of Dutch genre painting, echoing artists like Steen, and situates it within a broader framework of social commentary. Notice how he captures the intricate social dynamics within the community, especially how the children are playfully interacting with the donkey. Editor: Playful indeed! It reminds me a little of a satirical wink. A little dig, maybe at folks’ fascination with something… well, somewhat silly? Makes me wonder if "Green Donkey" is slang for something other than a green donkey. Curator: It may well be! Color, particularly in relation to animals, carried potent symbolic weight during this era. The 'green' donkey becomes an intriguing lens to examine 18th-century class, politics, and satirical sensibilities. Editor: Right, and there's that contrast, isn’t there, between the careful detailing and the playful subject, with almost everyone facing us. Did he want us, the viewers, to participate in this little theatrical? Because it really feels like we’re watching it all unfold! Curator: Absolutely. Van der Meer, through his mastery of line and composition, prompts the viewer to consider what is natural, and what's constructed in both art and life itself. I wonder, could this scene be mirroring, through this animal, the construction of identity within Dutch society at that time? Editor: Oh, you know, maybe! It does make you question the everyday theatre we’re all performing, doesn’t it? Sort of like us talking about donkeys in a museum – the absurd and insightful meeting! Curator: Well, reflecting on this print, it encourages me to look beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary moments to uncover deeper societal meanings. Editor: And me? Well, I am off to find more funny donkeys. It’s always about the silly stuff, isn’t it? Thanks, Mr. Van der Meer!