Donkey's head and leafy plant 

Johann Nepomuk Rauch sketched “Donkey’s head and leafy plant” using graphite on paper. As an artist in the 19th century, Rauch operated in a world where the hierarchy of genres, with history painting at the top, often overshadowed the value of animal studies. Rauch's choice to focus on a donkey could be seen as a deliberate move to the margins, a quiet rebellion against academic expectations. The donkey, often a symbol of humility or stubbornness, allows us to consider questions of class and labor. Who identifies with this animal and why? Is there an empathy that transcends species? The juxtaposition of the donkey's head with the leafy plant invites contemplation on the natural world and humanity's place within it. The sketch, with its simple lines, creates an intimate moment, a quiet study of the ordinary that touches something universal.