Schrijver en dieren 1769 - 1787

Editor: This is "Schrijver en dieren," or "Writer and Animals," an engraving made by Joseph Mulder between 1769 and 1787. The lower half of the piece depicts a writer with a quill, and in the upper half, we see all these creatures! There’s definitely a fable-like quality to it, almost like a medieval tapestry but in print form. How would you interpret this work? Curator: I see the classical world deeply embedded in the image's symbolic architecture. The writer, presumably Phaedrus given the title below him, literally grounds the image in human intellect. Yet, notice how he's visually linked to the animal kingdom above. It's a commentary on the power of storytelling, how fables—animal narratives—were understood as mirrors to human behavior. Look at how Mulder positions certain animals -- a snake whispers to the human; this isn’t mere illustration. Do you see that, too? Editor: Yes, that makes sense! It’s not just decorative; the placement feels very deliberate, like a symbolic language I’m only beginning to understand. The animals become allegories… Curator: Precisely. They are vessels carrying ethical lessons. Mulder invites us to ponder: how do we project ourselves and our understanding of the world onto these animal archetypes? Furthermore, consider the medium, engraving. It enables mass production, allowing these moral stories, originally told orally, to reach a much wider audience, shaping cultural consciousness across time. Editor: That’s fascinating! So, it’s not just about the immediate story depicted, but about the power of stories and symbols to communicate ideas and values. I never thought about it that way. Curator: Visual symbols gain potency and new meanings across different cultures. Being attuned to this history of images gives you profound insights. Editor: I’ll definitely remember that. Thanks for opening my eyes to all of that.