Jacht op pinguïns, 1600 1617 - 1619

Editor: Here we have an engraving titled "Jacht op pinguïns, 1600" – or "Hunting Penguins, 1600" – created between 1617 and 1619 by an anonymous artist. It’s full of dramatic action but something about that looming penguin in the foreground feels... satirical? What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a brutal collision of worlds. The hunt, ostensibly the subject, reveals the violence inherent in exploration and colonization. Notice how the penguins are rendered – some idealized, even anthropomorphic, while others are subjects of an emerging capitalist drive. Editor: That’s a striking point. The looming penguin does seem almost like a personification, watching the hunt unfold. Do you think this was a deliberate choice? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the date – the early 17th century. Dutch maritime power was expanding, encountering new lands and exploiting resources, but it's critical to view art from that period through our current lens. How do we, today, understand that the expansion happened at the expense of vulnerable populations? And isn't that penguin an obvious symbol? Editor: So you’re saying this isn’t just a simple depiction of a hunt, but a commentary on the ethics of that hunt, even reflecting on resource exploitation. Curator: Exactly. And the figures in the background further solidify the critique of labour division and power, right? Think about it, how many people had to work together to ensure the success of one venture, the slaughter of one population of animals? How did this all evolve and affect the modern social contract? Editor: I didn't notice those things before! Looking at it that way, it is definitely thought-provoking! Curator: Indeed. The print becomes a site for engaging with complex ethical questions surrounding Dutch Golden Age history and the very real implications of resource exploitation and ecological consequences of the hunt that haunt us today.