Retriever n.d.

Dirk Valkenburg created this drawing of a retriever in the late 17th or early 18th century. Valkenburg, who painted historical allegories and genre scenes, most famously worked for wealthy plantation owners in Surinam. At this time, the Dutch Empire was expanding due to trade in enslaved people and goods produced via forced labor. Dogs were both companions and status symbols for the wealthy elite who profited from these exploitative systems. But in what other ways were they implicated? Does the slight sketch remind you of an owner? What can this ‘retriever’ retrieve? Considered in this context, the dog may stand as a mute witness to the brutal realities of Dutch colonial life. The dog's watchful pose invites us to reflect on themes of loyalty, servitude, and the unequal distribution of power. It encourages us to examine the complex relationships between humans, animals, and the socio-economic structures that shaped their world.