Zittend aapje, een vrucht etend 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard created this black chalk drawing of a seated monkey eating fruit sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. At the time, Europe's colonial powers were engaged in extensive trade with Africa and Asia. Exotic animals like this monkey became both commodities and symbols of colonial power and wealth. They were brought back to Europe and kept in private menageries or public zoos, reflecting a fascination with the natural world as well as a desire to dominate it. In this context, Bernard's drawing isn’t just a portrait of an animal, it's an image embedded in a complex web of power, trade, and representation. The monkey, far from its native habitat, becomes a spectacle for human consumption, embodying the complicated relationship between humans and the natural world.