Ezel met encyclopedie 1792

"Ezel met encyclopedie" (1792) is a satirical print by Dutch artist Pieter van Woensel. The image depicts a donkey burdened with a large stack of books, labeled "Encyclopedie." The donkey is depicted in a weary posture, suggesting that the weight of knowledge is a heavy burden. This work is a humorous commentary on the encyclopedic movement of the Enlightenment, which aimed to synthesize all human knowledge. The image is a small, delicate etching, measuring just 122 mm in height and 85 mm in width. This type of artwork was quite common in the 18th century, and it often served to comment on contemporary social and political issues.