Hond springt over een stapel ladders 1889 - 1893

Johanna Margaretha Piek created this photograph, "Hond springt over een stapel ladders," showing a dog leaping over a stack of ladders, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a woman artist during this era, Piek navigated a patriarchal society where artistic recognition often favored men. This photograph disrupts traditional artistic themes, which frequently focused on human subjects or grandiose landscapes. Instead, Piek captures a candid moment of animal agility and playfulness, creating an intimate and engaging image. There is a sense of freedom and joy in this work, but also perhaps a commentary on the barriers and challenges one overcomes. The ladders, usually tools for ascent, become obstacles in a game, mirroring the societal hurdles Piek herself may have faced as a woman in the art world. The sepia tone adds a layer of nostalgia, inviting us to reflect on a time when photography itself was a developing art form, pushing against conventional modes of representation. It’s a celebration of the everyday, viewed through a lens that acknowledges both constraint and boundless possibility.