Two Goats with Large Horns, from Various Animals c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Nicolaes Berchem’s etching, “Two Goats with Large Horns, from Various Animals,” created around the 17th century. The detail he achieves with simple lines is quite beautiful. I’m curious about how this image, seemingly simple at first glance, would have been understood by viewers then. What can we read into it now? Curator: These aren't just goats, are they? Consider the long and varied symbolic association of the goat, an animal linked to both fecundity and, paradoxically, devilry. Berchem, working within the Dutch Golden Age, taps into a rich visual language. This era saw a rise in genre painting, often embedding moral messages within seemingly innocuous scenes. Editor: So, is it just about morality? Is that the symbol? Curator: It is more complex than a simple moral lesson, I think. Notice how one goat is standing tall, alert, while the other rests? It’s a subtle contrast. This imagery echoes older traditions of emblems and allegories where animals represented human qualities and states of being. Perhaps here we see a suggestion about work and rest, or vigilance and contentment. Editor: So the viewer of the time might see more depth there? Curator: Absolutely. And how might they interpret these symbols based on their beliefs, and their own memory? Moreover, beyond pure allegory, there is the consideration of how humans perceived their relationship with the natural world. Remember, the Dutch landscape tradition was blossoming during this period, but the insertion of animals within them adds an interesting new element. What feeling is conveyed? Editor: I see your point. What I thought was a pastoral scene actually becomes an image loaded with cultural and even psychological depth, and more nuance than first met the eye! Curator: Precisely! Berchem’s work reveals how artists used familiar imagery to negotiate the complexities of their world, engaging viewers on multiple levels. These cultural memories continue to resonate.