Vangen van Chilische stieren 1755 - 1800

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have an engraving titled "Vangen van Chilische stieren," or "The Catching of Chilean Bulls," dating approximately from 1755 to 1800 by Harmanus Vinkeles. Editor: It’s stark, isn’t it? All blacks and whites creating this high-contrast image. The chaos of the bull-catching in the midground really pops against the rather still mountain in the distance. Curator: The genre painting element is interesting to me. Consider the colonial implications of depicting the subjugation of Chilean wildlife. How might that visual narrative play into the institutional narratives of that era? Editor: Absolutely. The capturing of bulls for labour, the representation of animals generally – it’s all political. The image, with its clear delineation between tamer and wildness, could reinforce existing social hierarchies. It certainly fits the visual rhetoric of colonial control. What strikes me is its relationship to the broader development and commodification of the natural world in the 18th century. Curator: I agree; and it's essential to consider how visual language was used to justify, celebrate, or at least normalize colonial activities. There’s an explicit commentary on domination within the scene. Also note, however, the frame around the main image, it seems to incorporate images that run contrary to that dominating theme. Editor: Interesting. Almost an effort to include and respect other aspects of nature within the frame… which does not, however, take away from the bull hunt’s overall messaging regarding ownership and exploitation. It would be useful to research the original social and political intentions of the patron who commissioned this piece. Curator: It is. I leave here contemplating the implications of the visual message that such a piece propagates when considering the context of our current relationship with the natural world. Editor: And, importantly, to examine whose stories are omitted or marginalized through this portrayal of "conquest." It’s never a simple picture, is it?