Ram valt slapende Ragotin aan 1705 - 1772

Curator: Welcome to the Rijksmuseum. We’re standing before "Ram valt slapende Ragotin aan," which translates to "Ram Attacks Sleeping Ragotin." It's an engraving by Gabriel Huquier, created sometime between 1705 and 1772. Editor: My initial reaction is that this print is chaotic and whimsical. It’s full of surprising, almost absurd, juxtapositions—a monkey hanging from a beam, a caged bird overhead, and this rather violent ram confronting a sleeping figure. Curator: Indeed. The artist employs a sophisticated layering of lines and textures. Observe the detailed cross-hatching that gives form and depth to the figures. The formal balance between light and shadow guides our eyes, yet it is ultimately quite asymmetrical in its construction. Editor: But who is Ragotin, and why the aggressive ram? I see it as a social satire, a commentary on class, leisure, and perhaps the disruptiveness of nature itself. This scene almost depicts a cruel game being played at Ragotin's expense, highlighting themes of power, spectacle, and potential exploitation of an individual who probably comes from lower status in life than everyone else in the room. Curator: Precisely. While the image's immediate impression may be one of jest, analyzing it through a more critical, political lens reveals complex commentary on hierarchies and societal norms of that era. Look at how the artist used frottage techniques on a very complex burin engraving medium, to produce the tonal contrast in areas such as the blanket on the back wall of the setting. This print cleverly stages disruptions both figuratively, with the rude interruption of this person's sleep by the ram, but the piece is physically a textural experiment! Editor: Absolutely. And that monkey dangling overhead... it could represent untamed desires or suppressed behaviors within a restrictive social structure. It creates a sense of unease alongside all the apparent frivolous activity. It's worth acknowledging the work might normalize the kind of raucous play happening here that's clearly going to inflict some kind of emotional distress. Curator: The baroque style lends itself to such multifaceted interpretations. A close look allows for continuous rediscovery. Editor: And by looking at art in many diverse ways, we better illuminate its ability to spark conversations around social dynamics then and now.