Twee geiten 1844

Eugène Verboeckhoven made this print of two goats at an unknown date using lithography. The image taps into a long tradition of animal portraiture, often used to signify wealth and pastoral ideals. It seems simple enough, but the history of landscape art can help us understand its cultural context. Verboeckhoven was from Belgium, a country in the throes of industrialization. Art academies were getting established and were staging regular exhibitions. This print, therefore, speaks to a rising urban class nostalgic for rural life. But it also reflects an increasing scientific interest in the natural world. Detailed rendering of the goats’ fur shows his academic skill. To further understand this work, a historian might research the market for prints in 19th-century Belgium, looking at exhibition reviews and other popular imagery. Art always gains meaning from such social contexts.