Ørred (Trutta) 1620 - 1669

Curator: This etching, entitled “Ørred (Trutta)”, was created sometime between 1620 and 1669 by Albert Flamen. It depicts two trout rendered with remarkable precision. What are your first thoughts? Editor: There's a stark, almost unsettling quality to the scene. The detailed depiction of the fish against that softly rendered background... it evokes a kind of melancholic stillness. I am struck by how each scale seems meticulously etched, drawing attention to the animal's texture in microscopic detail. Curator: That precision reflects a growing interest in the natural world during the 17th century and also resonates with contemporary conversations about our treatment of animals and the broader ecosystems they rely upon. Do we treat these magnificent species ethically, particularly when fishing or farming? Editor: It's fascinating to think about that connection. In this light, it seems Flamen wasn’t merely cataloging nature but also posing unspoken questions about human relationships to their environments. There’s something incredibly self-possessed and assertive about that front fish in how it dominates the pictorial field. Curator: Certainly. Etchings like this were often circulated as scientific studies or collected as luxury prints. Understanding the social contexts that surround these works adds another dimension, particularly when contemplating its possible place among the cabinet of curiosities. It provokes questions surrounding class and social structure; Who consumed art like this and how? Editor: Exactly! We must think about how the privileged class may have understood these renderings; As a trophy or just as part of their research into natural history? As we learn more about the anthropocene and begin examining its global-reaching consequences, Flamen's Trutta urges us to inspect all that surrounds us critically. Curator: Well said. It seems there’s no end to new connections, reflections, and questions to pose for a little fish. Editor: Agreed, a little fish goes a long way.