Goats c. 19th century

Editor: This is "Goats" by August Koellner. It looks like an illustration, maybe for a book. They're just lying there, so relaxed. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's fascinating how Koellner chooses to depict these goats. Consider the time period, perhaps the 19th century. How might this image have been used to portray ideas about rural life or animal husbandry, and its place in the growing industrial world? Editor: So, more than just farm animals. What was the public role of art back then? Curator: Absolutely. Prints like these shaped how people understood the natural world. They were tools of knowledge, reflecting and reinforcing societal values. Editor: I never thought about that! I'll look at illustrations differently now.