Pissende ooi met drie geiten 1631 - 1733

Curator: This is an etching and engraving held in the Rijksmuseum, titled "Pissende ooi met drie geiten". While the artist is, frustratingly, anonymous, the work itself dates from somewhere between 1631 and 1733. Editor: Wow, quite a mouthful! My first impression? Pastoral scene gone subtly absurd. There's something so matter-of-fact about the sheep so… casually relieving itself. A bit too direct. Curator: It’s wonderfully direct, I think. And consider how the composition itself emphasizes that moment. All the lines seem to converge, drawing our eyes to the arc of liquid and the little goats drinking away. There's also that lounging goat smack in the middle. He looks so comfortable, so unconcerned. It’s very evocative of rural life, don't you think? Editor: I do! And if you look closely, there are so many tiny details packed into it, a feat for a relatively small print. But I think the engraving also creates an intriguing textural play. The sheep's wool looks incredibly dense, a real contrast to the almost minimalist rendering of the sky. How do you feel about the fact that it’s anonymous? Curator: You know, anonymity gives the work an oddly universal quality. It strips away any preconceived notions we might have based on the artist’s biography or prior work. Editor: Right, we have only the print itself. It really does become less about individual genius and more about observing a particular way of life, one removed from, but observed by, urban life I wonder? I leave feeling kind of zen about it, oddly! It just is. No apologies. Curator: Yes, maybe that brazen realism offers an escape from our over-polished present. It gives the image a life all of its own. And even though there is so much time and craft involved, the goats look so perfectly unposed. Maybe that’s the point. A perfect depiction of being present.