Twee olifanten 1884 - 1886

George Hendrik Breitner sketched "Two Elephants" using graphite on paper, and it now resides in the Rijksmuseum. This work presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which the exotic animals became enmeshed within the fabric of European cultural life. During the late 19th century, zoos and circuses brought these creatures to European cities, reshaping urban experiences and influencing artistic practices. Breitner, living in a time when the Netherlands was actively engaged in colonial endeavors, captures these elephants not merely as animals, but as symbols loaded with colonial implications. The quick, sketch-like quality might suggest the artist's interest in capturing the immediacy of the animal's presence, but it also raises questions about the broader social context in which such observations occurred. By consulting archives from institutions like the Artis Royal Zoo, we might better understand the relationship between art, entertainment, and the construction of cultural attitudes toward the non-European world.