De verkeerde wereld / Le monde renversé 1800 - 1833

Philippus Jacobus Brepols created the hand-colored etching "De verkeerde wereld / Le monde renversé" at an unknown date. The Dutch title translates to 'The Topsy-Turvy World', and indeed, Brepols presents a world turned upside down. In this piece, Brepols critiques social hierarchies and questions societal norms, reflecting the political and social upheavals of his time. He develops an alternative narrative, showing animals acting as humans, and humans behaving like animals. These images confront our expectations and force us to reconsider the established order. For example, in one scene, a dog carries a hunter on its back, subverting the typical power dynamic between humans and animals. “Who is the master now?” Brepols seems to ask. "De verkeerde wereld" invites us to reflect on the fluidity of roles, and the possibility of change. It captures a moment of questioning, where the established order is disrupted, and new ways of seeing the world are imagined.