Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende een portret van de drie bedienden van Franz Thonner before 1899

This photograph captures the three servants of Franz Thonner, immortalized in an anonymous drawing, with their expressions and postures speaking volumes. The men are posed in front of a backdrop of sticks. Consider the symbolism inherent in such images: the relationship between colonizer and colonized, the dynamic between employer and employee. The sticks are a symbol of the economic exploitation and extraction of resources. Think of Atlas bearing the weight of the world, or figures in Renaissance paintings supporting architectural structures—these motifs recur, each time inflected by its context. There is an emotional resonance here, too, as each subject looks at the viewer. We must acknowledge the power dynamics at play, while recognizing the humanity of the individuals portrayed. It serves as a reminder of the complexities inherent in cross-cultural encounters. The motifs of labor, support, and human connection appear throughout history, evolving with each retelling. Like snakes shedding their skin, symbols transform, retaining echoes of their past while adapting to new cultural landscapes.