Man met een paard bij voederbak 1811

Abraham Lion Zeelander, who was born in Amsterdam, made this print, titled "Man met een paard bij voederbak," sometime in the early 19th century. Zeelander lived through a period of immense social and political change, including the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. It is interesting to note that Zeelander was Jewish. During the period that he was working, Jewish artists in Europe often grappled with questions of identity, as they negotiated between their cultural heritage and the dominant culture. In this piece a man is shown tending to his horse. A dog lays in the foreground. In the background is a tent. This etching brings a sense of the pastoral. Zeelander highlights the relationship between humans and animals. But also seems to suggest the relationship between Jewish people and the land. It offers a glimpse into the intimate and often unseen moments of daily life. It invites us to reflect on our relationships with labor, land, and belonging.