Jongen wordt als straf bij aap in kooi gestopt 1781 - 1799

Jan Lucas van der Beek created this print titled 'Boy punished by being put in a cage with a monkey' using etching techniques. The composition presents a stark contrast between order and confinement, with the geometric precision of the building sharply juxtaposed against the organic chaos of the tree. Notice how the figures are arranged; the boys, caught in a moment of playful mimicry, stand apart from the caged monkey, a separation emphasized by the lines of the cage itself. The artist uses line and form to explore themes of social order and control. The act of mimicry suggests a breakdown of social norms. In this context, the cage becomes a potent signifier of both physical and social boundaries, questioning the established categories of human and animal, freedom and confinement. This print invites us to consider how behaviours are policed and classified. It raises questions about how power is exerted through spatial arrangements.