Studienblatt_ Reisende mit Eseln und Dromedaren 

Gustav Heinrich Naeke created this study sheet of travelers with donkeys and dromedaries during the early 19th century. This was a period marked by increasing European engagement with the Middle East, often romanticized through art and literature. Naeke's sketches evoke a sense of classical orientalism, a Western fascination with an imagined ‘Eastern’ world. But these sketches do more than exoticize; they also humanize. We see figures closely interacting with their animals, offering a narrative of co-dependence rather than pure domination. Notice how some figures are guiding the animals, while others, including children, ride atop. These compositions suggest a shared journey, a mutual reliance across species. While Naeke's work cannot escape the power dynamics inherent in its historical context, it hints at a more nuanced, intimate relationship between humans and animals within the sphere of travel and labor. These sketches not only capture a moment in time but also invite us to consider the multifaceted relationships that shape our world.