Het rundvee en zijn nut 1874

Editor: Here we have a lithograph from 1874, "Het rundvee en zijn nut," or "Cattle and its Use," created by De Ruyter & Meijer. It feels almost like a storyboard for how cattle are used in…well, everything. It's fascinating and a little unsettling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, a glimpse into a bygone era where our connection to the land, and livestock, was starkly different. I’m immediately struck by the unblinking honesty, you know? Each scene lays bare the multifaceted role of cattle in society – food, labor, materials. It’s like a visual inventory, a record, both beautiful and brutal. Does it bring up feelings about how removed we’ve become from these processes? Editor: Absolutely. It's easy to romanticize the past, but this shows a less polished truth. It’s very matter-of-fact. Almost each image is an explanation with text under each little picture... Curator: Exactly! And notice the style? The slight crudeness of the printing lends a folk-art quality. I see almost medieval tapestries and storytelling techniques echoed in these lithographs, and the way each vignette is contained feels like…do you get a feeling that the story moves chronologically and in segments? Editor: Yes, each one is self-contained. It makes it easy to digest, so to speak. But thinking about how everything from the field ends up as shoes, or soap. It's interesting what they chose to highlight, and what may have been considered 'everyday'. Curator: Indeed. This isn't just about showing a process; it's about revealing interdependencies. Everything connected to everything. In a way, it is as beautiful as it is cruel and gives one much to consider in modern industrial processes. Editor: A good way to get your head out of the sand and connect to basic things in life. Curator: Perfectly said.