Twee figuren tegenover de kop van een dier dat hooi eet uit een kom Possibly 1943

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this ink drawing of two figures and a feeding animal in 1943. The exact setting of the scene remains unknown. However, the historical context of the time in which it was made suggests a deeper meaning. Mesquita was a Sephardic Jewish artist living in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation. This drawing may be interpreted as a commentary on the social structures of his time, reflecting the artist's experience of persecution and dehumanization under Nazi rule. The figures' distorted features and the animal's presence might symbolize the degradation and loss of identity suffered by marginalized groups during this period. Art historians rely on various resources to understand the social and institutional contexts in which art is produced. By examining historical documents, biographical information, and cultural movements, we can gain insights into the complex layers of meaning embedded in artworks like this one.