Plate Six c. 17th century

Editor: This is "Plate Six" by Pierre Le Sueur. It's a small print of a goat nursing a baby. The stark lines create a somewhat unsettling mood. How do we interpret this unusual pairing? Curator: Consider the history of foundling hospitals and charitable institutions. Abandoned children were often symbolically linked to animals for survival and care, questioning societal responsibility. The print invites reflection on the politics of care and vulnerability. Editor: So, the image isn’t just strange; it's a commentary on societal structures? Curator: Exactly! Le Sueur uses a common image of charity to make the viewer question the role of public responsibility versus individual struggles. Does that shift your perspective? Editor: It definitely does. I see it in a completely different light now. Curator: It's amazing how socio-political contexts can reshape our understanding.