Vrouw bij een ezelkar c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels captured this sketch of a woman with a donkey cart with pencil on paper. The most striking symbol here is the donkey. Throughout history, the donkey has been a beast of burden, a symbol of humility, patience, and poverty. Yet, it’s a creature laden with religious significance, most notably in Christian iconography, where a donkey carried Mary to Bethlehem and Jesus into Jerusalem. We see echoes of this motif in art across different eras. Consider the 'Triumph of Humility,' where virtues are often depicted riding humble animals. This theme appears in various forms throughout history, each era reinterpreting its significance. The emotional resonance of the donkey perhaps stems from our own subconscious recognition of the burdens we carry, both physical and metaphorical, thus engaging us on a deeply personal level. The motif of the donkey is not merely a visual trope but a persistent symbol in our collective consciousness.