De leeuw als rechter 1792

Reinier Vinkeles created this print, "De leeuw als rechter", using etching techniques sometime between 1741 and 1816. The print depicts a lion sitting in judgment over other animals. Vinkeles was working during the Enlightenment, a period marked by the questioning of traditional authority. This piece reflects the era’s focus on reason and justice, but the animals remind us that societies are always arranged hierarchically, with some in power over others. The choice of animals raises questions about natural hierarchies versus constructed social orders, and whose interests are truly served by those in power. Perhaps Vinkeles is subtly critiquing human societies and their own forms of domination. How do you feel about these animals? Does it make you question authority?