Geit en bok met jong 1594

This engraving, "Goat and Buck with Young" was made by Nicolaes de Bruyn, a Dutch artist active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In this small but evocative piece, de Bruyn captures a pastoral scene, typical of the period, but it is teeming with subtle commentary. The bucks and goats, rendered with meticulous detail, invite reflections on themes of domesticity and nature. The inclusion of the young goat nursing adds layers of emotional resonance, evoking ideas of maternal care, vulnerability, and the cyclical nature of life. The work perhaps speaks to the socio-political landscape of the time, providing a delicate counterpoint to the pervasive themes of power and conquest. The choice of animals, seemingly innocuous, raises questions about the representation of the rural population and the inherent biases in artistic expression. This print encourages us to look beyond the surface, considering the untold stories and suppressed voices that are often obscured within the canon of art history.