Twee jongens met gevogelte 1810 - 1813

Curator: Looking at this work from the Rijksmuseum, it's a pencil and etching piece from 1810 to 1813, entitled "Two Boys with Poultry," crafted by Jacob Ernst Marcus. Editor: Immediately, what strikes me is the palpable sense of hardship mixed with quiet resilience in this scene. It is visually austere yet emotionally weighty. Curator: Precisely. Marcus was capturing everyday life in a period of significant socio-economic transition. You have these two young figures, likely working-class, shown with their day’s…catch. It speaks volumes about labor, childhood, and perhaps, even class disparities in the Netherlands at the time. Editor: And I can't help but view it through a contemporary lens of animal rights. It’s impossible to ignore how our relationship with food production has changed and to consider these boys as complicit within this structure of cruelty, a lens colored by critical animal studies, makes you consider broader ethical implications. Curator: The etching itself serves a purpose too, it was a means for greater reproduction and circulation of images and thus, these works could then act as commentary circulating among diverse social groups. Marcus's technical skill contributes a documentary-like realism, reflecting social dynamics within the community. Editor: I wonder about their gaze. Or rather, the absence of it. One is turned away and the other looks downward, a gesture loaded with subjugation and submission. This composition makes us consider how notions of power play here—a subtle but powerful social critique about poverty, access, and dignity. Curator: His portraits of working-class people and genre paintings like this one, provide crucial insight into their struggles. Marcus encourages us to engage with our past critically by revealing social structures. It's as much a mirror reflecting ourselves. Editor: Absolutely. Revisiting "Two Boys with Poultry," guided by his sensitivity allows a new awareness of social dynamics, both past and present. Curator: Indeed. This is not just an old print, it is a gateway to a better, nuanced consideration of the issues and challenges surrounding access to basic survival.