Dieren 1850 - 1881

Curator: Well, isn't this peculiar. What we have here is "Dieren," or "Animals," a print by Dirk Noothoven van Goor, dating from around 1850 to 1881. It's an engraving, with a distinctly naturalistic style. Editor: It feels like a page torn from an old textbook—slightly dusty, a bit forlorn. The rigid arrangements of creatures give it a static, almost tragic mood, like specimens pinned under glass. Curator: It does have that air of scientific categorization, doesn't it? But think about who the intended audience was: "Voor de Jeugd"—"For the Youth." It's educational, aimed at sparking curiosity about the natural world. Editor: I’m more struck by the artificiality. Look at that giraffe crammed into its little box! These are animals stripped of their habitat, presented as commodities. The implication of imperial power—capturing and cataloging, extracting for observation… Curator: That’s certainly one way to read it. I suppose I see it as a product of its time. There was a genuine desire to document and understand the world, albeit through a lens that we now recognize as deeply problematic. There's a strange innocence there too. Editor: I see less innocence and more blatant display. How were these animals obtained? At what cost? The images don't show that. Instead, we are encouraged to simply marvel at their existence, perpetuating an unequal power dynamic. Even the poems under each print offer a warped moral. Curator: Perhaps. But isn’t art also about opening a window, even a flawed one? This print, despite its limitations, can spark conversation about our evolving relationship with the environment and our responsibilities within it. Editor: I agree that art can open conversations, but we need to be aware of who gets to control the narrative and how these visual representations reinforce power structures that continue to impact our lives today. These animals, here, silenced by representation.