Kinderen en honden schrikken van een adelaar 1846 - 1862

Adolphe Mouilleron created this print, “Children and Dogs Frightened by an Eagle,” sometime in the 19th century. Look closely and you'll see the moment of surprise and chaos captured here, perhaps mirroring the social upheavals of the time. The children, their clothes suggesting a certain class status, react with visible alarm to the eagle's sudden appearance. Their dogs, symbols of both companionship and control, are equally startled. The eagle, a bird often associated with power and freedom, disrupts the pastoral scene, questioning the established order. There is an interesting contrast between the vulnerability of the children and the wild, untamed nature represented by the eagle. Are we witnessing a commentary on the fragility of human constructs when confronted with the raw power of nature? What does it mean for our understanding of control and freedom during the rise of industrial society?