Twee dieren, mogelijk ezels 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve sketched these two animals, possibly donkeys, using graphite. A study of animal anatomy, it echoes the ancient symbolism of the donkey itself. Across cultures, the donkey has carried a dual meaning: On one hand, it symbolizes humility and patience, think of Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem. On the other hand, it embodies stubbornness and foolishness. This duality reveals our complex relationship with the animal world, reflecting our own internal struggles with virtue and vice. Consider Apuleius's "The Golden Ass", where the protagonist's transformation into a donkey becomes a vehicle for exploring human folly and redemption. This theme resurfaces time and again, reminding us of our own capacity for both the noble and the absurd. Mauve's sketch, with its rough lines and uncertain forms, captures this very tension, inviting us to contemplate the multifaceted nature of existence.