Ezel weigert te lopen before 1896

J. Mantélier made this image, "Ezel weigert te lopen," or "Donkey Refuses to Walk" as a small print. The scene depicts a stubborn donkey and some figures struggling to get it moving, ideas that connect to the social hierarchies of labor in the late 19th century. The work creates meaning by contrasting human will and animal instinct. Without knowing its country of origin, one still gets a strong sense that the cultural references at play involve labor. This image could be a subtle commentary on the social structures of its time, questioning ideas of progress and work ethic. Is the donkey a symbol of resistance, or simply an animal acting on instinct? To fully understand this work, we need to consider the socio-economic context in which Mantélier was working. Research into photographic archives and social histories could offer insights into the cultural meanings that inform such an image. Art's meaning is always contingent on its social and institutional context.