De zebra 1894 - 1959

Curator: So, we're looking at "De Zebra," dating roughly from 1894 to 1959. It’s a print with watercolor, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s charming! I am immediately struck by its…flatness, almost like a page out of a children’s book. But the detail in the zebra’s stripes is so intricate. How would you approach interpreting this piece? Curator: Considering the context of its production, the "how" of this image intrigues me most. It's a print, so a mass-produced object, hand-colored with watercolor. Who was the intended consumer? Was this educational material, or simply decorative? Was the paper locally sourced or imported? These choices reveal layers of material and social exchange. Editor: That makes sense. Thinking about it as an educational tool shifts my perspective. Did the choice of medium impact how people understood the subject? Curator: Absolutely! The application of watercolor, often associated with 'feminine' or amateur artistry, elevated the print beyond mere information dissemination, aligning it with notions of cultivated taste. What does the print *do*, functionally, culturally? Editor: It seems like the process of making this artwork – the materials and intended use – are as significant as the subject matter itself. The artist isn’t just showing us a zebra but communicating the relationship between man and the natural world, and class. Curator: Precisely! By focusing on the materiality and consumption of this image, we can excavate deeper understandings of the society that produced and circulated it. Editor: I see that, by concentrating on its materials and social purpose, you open it to deeper discussions, rather than focusing on an idea. That approach feels both novel and quite revealing. Thanks!