Hønsekræmmerens æsel 1858

This etching, "The Poulterer's Donkey," was created by Johannes Wilhelm Zillen. The composition presents a tableau of rural simplicity, rich with textural detail achieved through fine, closely-knit lines. The eye is drawn to the donkey, laden with baskets and fowl, standing before a rustic doorway. The contrast of light and shadow creates a sense of depth, enhancing the materiality of the brickwork and the woven textures of the baskets. Zillen’s work here uses animal figures to explore themes of labor and the everyday. The donkey, burdened yet stoic, becomes a symbol of toil, set against a backdrop of domestic life. The inclusion of a dog at rest adds a layer of commentary on labor versus leisure, framing the donkey's burden within a broader social context. The structured use of line and form serves to elevate what could be a simple genre scene into a meditation on the roles and realities of rural existence, prompting reflection on the social structures embedded in the everyday.