Twee bokken en drie honden 1648 - 1733

This print, titled *Twee bokken en drie honden*, whose maker remains anonymous, presents us with two vignettes of animals rendered in pen and ink. The piece offers a glimpse into a world where the pastoral and the domestic intersect. While we can't know the artist's specific intentions, the depiction of animals—goats and dogs— invites us to reflect on the relationship between humans and animals, and how that relationship often mirrors the power dynamics within society. The goats, with their wildness, contrast with the domesticated dogs, raising questions about control, freedom, and the roles we assign to different creatures. What does it mean to capture these animals in a static image? The artist’s act of selection and representation shapes our understanding, reflecting perhaps the societal values and hierarchies of their time. This image subtly captures the emotional and social dimensions of our interactions with the natural world.