Gestoorde ezel 1975

Curator: Welcome. Before us is “Gestoorde ezel,” or “Disturbed Donkey,” a 1975 etching by Harrie A. Gerritz, held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s interesting... There’s a delicacy, a certain vulnerability to the image. The donkey’s stare seems both direct and evasive, set against this very lightly rendered landscape. Curator: Indeed. Note how Gerritz employs a sparse, almost skeletal line work to define form, particularly in the tree and the donkey itself. The etching technique allows for a rich tonality despite the limited lines. Semiotically, the tree provides a framework around the donkey’s portrait. Editor: The setting seems intentional—not just a simple rural scene, but suggestive of constraint and perhaps the emotional state of this "disturbed" animal. How might this work comment on human intervention in the natural world? Or, perhaps, more broadly, on experiences of feeling alienated or trapped? Curator: That's a compelling interpretation, and not mutually exclusive. The fence is an evident visual barrier, interrupting the eye and delineating the donkey's confined space. What this means might vary. Gerritz's choice to work in the etching medium also connects this work to a historical lineage of printmaking. Editor: True, and historically, depictions of donkeys have ranged from symbols of burden and labor to stubbornness. Given the timeframe, is it possible Gerritz intended the artwork as a commentary of society’s expectations on class and freedom? What’s clear to me is that Gerritz uses traditional iconography, in conjunction with very unique printing style, to make a point about human constraint. Curator: Ultimately, the strength of this piece resides in that balance: Gerritz employs an aged technique, to construct an expressive piece. Editor: A somber and gentle contemplation. The donkey stares. We observe. It all blends in a haunting reflection, rendered in aged paper and fragile lines.