Ezel en zwijn after 1880

Charles Verlat made this etching of a donkey and a pig, sometime in the 19th century. The print gives us a sense of the prevailing social attitudes towards animals at the time. If you look closely, you might notice that the donkey is wearing a bridle, implying that it's been domesticated, put to work. The pig, by contrast, appears to be in a more natural state, almost blending into its surroundings. In 19th century Europe, animals were often seen as either useful tools or wild creatures to be tamed. This division mirrored social hierarchies, with the working class often likened to beasts of burden, and the 'uncivilized' world viewed as something to be conquered. To understand this work fully, we might turn to popular literature and scientific writings of the time. These sources reveal the social conditions that shape artistic production and reflect on the meaning of art as something that is contingent on social and institutional context.