Drie mannen vangen een krokodil in een rivier 1668 - 1725

This small print shows three men catching a crocodile in a river, and was made anonymously, at an unknown date, using etching. Although we don't know for sure when or where it was made, there are clues within the image that can help us to speculate. Based on the style and subject matter, it seems likely that this print was made in Europe, during a period when there was heightened interest in other parts of the world. We can see this in the image's references to the exotic, with the presence of both crocodiles and elephants. However, it is important to think about how such imagery was framed by the institutions of its time. Looking closely at the composition, there is an undeniable power dynamic at play. In the foreground, the men struggle with the crocodile. But behind them, almost nonchalantly, is a domesticated elephant. What can this tell us about the relationship between man and nature, as it was understood in the place and time that this etching was made? Historians can only speculate based on the visual evidence, historical events, and cultural shifts, always aware that our interpretations are contingent on the evidence available.