Donkey 1600 - 1650

Curator: What we have here is a drawing, likely pencil, titled simply "Donkey" by Pieter Jacobsz. van Laer. It was created sometime between 1600 and 1650. It feels…grounded. A very solid presence on the page, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. And what strikes me most is the humility. Not in a negative sense, but a profound, quiet dignity. It reminds us to see the beauty and importance in the everyday. We, the burdened ones. Curator: Yes, burdened— that’s precisely it. The weight it carries, physically but also, metaphorically, perhaps the burdens we all shoulder. Donkeys, throughout art history, often symbolize perseverance and patience, and even sometimes stubbornness. Is there anything specific about this donkey that you are interpreting? Editor: Well, van Laer has captured a moment of stillness. The soft shading gives a sense of volume and weight, really emphasizing its solidity. Note also how carefully its tendons and joints are depicted, rendering him simultaneously dignified and yet quite vulnerable. Also the large but expressive ears, antennas attuned to both its immediate reality, and maybe something more. Curator: I agree. Van Laer does really allow the viewer to get in tune with its form. A fascinating realism dominates, but softened. As though a kind of quiet academic pursuit gave way to genuine empathy. And there is just something enduring about how unassuming he looks. What associations does this specific type of "academic realism" stir up in you? Editor: It speaks of both mastery and respect. To render something so commonplace with such care elevates it. There’s no idealization here, no romanticizing. The donkey just *is*, in its full, unadorned essence. That honesty becomes its beauty, its strength. Curator: It is refreshing to just witness an animal rendered faithfully without excess flourish or allegory weighing down the composition. He wanted you to meet the donkey. As a viewer you are called on to confront and recognize the humble nature, maybe recognize yourself within that reality? And to realize you also contain great inner strength. Thank you for helping make space for that observation! Editor: My pleasure! Seeing that quiet strength staring back is a lovely thing to realize we all hold!