Eugene Verboeckhoven (1798-1881)
Fontaine’s Fables: The Two Mules
1830
Etching
2  3/4 x 3  1/2″ (6.99 x 8.89 cm)
Wetmore Print Collection, Connecticut College
FW-0186

Verboeckhoven’s illustration, from his Fontaine’s Fables series, tells the story of two traveling mules; one bragging of his pack of silver, the other modestly bearing a pack of oats. When townspeople hear the first mule boasting of his precious cargo, thieves ambush and stab the pompous mule through the side. Verboeckhoven’s didactic engraving brings 19th century literature to life by simultaneously entertaining the audience with a story while also teaching the reader a lesson in humility. Fables were a popular form of literature during the 19th century, meant not only to teach young children how to read, but also to provide a basic moral foundation.