Dier, mogelijk een schaap of koe 1892 - 1901

Antoon Derkinderen, created this sketch, titled 'Animal, possibly a sheep or cow', using a pencil. Derkinderen lived in a time of shifting artistic values, influenced by symbolism and a search for national identity in the arts. This sketch gives us just enough information to let our imagination run wild. The undefined forms of the animal bodies invite us to consider the relationships between humans and animals, and how these relationships shape our understanding of life. Think about the labor these animals would have been expected to do. How does our treatment of animals reflect societal values, particularly around labor and utility? Perhaps Derkinderen wanted us to ponder the labor of representation itself. What does it mean to sketch, to capture the essence of a living being with just a few lines? Through this simple sketch, Derkinderen encourages us to consider the emotional and ethical dimensions of our interactions with the animal world.