Cartouche met aap en jachtbuit 1734 - 1784

This etching, "Cartouche with Monkey and Game" was made by Gottlieb Friedrich Riedel in the 18th century. Here, we see a wild boar, a dead hare, and a hunting dog, all symbols of the hunt, framing the central cartouche. But it's the mischievous monkey that draws my eye. Monkeys, often depicted in art, embody a complex set of associations. In some contexts, they are symbols of base desires, of mimicry and foolishness, and in others, they are symbols of skill, curiosity and play. Think, for example, of the Singerie style popular during the 18th century, where monkeys parody human behavior, offering a satirical commentary on society. Here, this motif is not linear, but cyclical. Monkeys resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, engaging us on a subconscious level.