On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P01805
- Author
- Teniers, David (Flemish)
- Title
- Monkeys at School
- Chronology
- Ca. 1660
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 24 cm x 32 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- No
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
The teacher at this money school
punishes one of the students while
another seems to be interceding on
his behalf. Behind, the rest of the
students look on in fear from their
tables.
This is a criticism of the bad
social attitudes whose stupidity
and lack of rational thought is
symbolized here by monkeys. Teniers
dealt with this matter on several
occasions. In the present example,
he is clearly criticizing the
educational system, which would
seem to be capable only of training
students that, like monkeys,
irrationally repeat what they have
learned.
This work show's the artist's debt
to his forerunners. The drawing on
the wall alludes to his teacher,
Adriaen Brouwer, who set the
guidelines with his most
expressionist works, while the
composition follows a model by
Pieter Brueghel “the Elder” which
depicted a school with the same
critical sense.
