Hertenjacht 1648 - 1672

Editor: We’re looking at “Hertenjacht,” or “Deer Hunt,” by Albert Flamen, created sometime between 1648 and 1672. It’s a print, using etching and other drawing techniques, and it's got a circular frame, which is neat. What catches my eye is the detailed depiction of the hunt itself. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s interesting to consider this piece through a materialist lens. How was this print made? The labor involved in etching, the availability of materials like copper plates and etching tools – these things influenced what Flamen could create and who had access to it. Notice how the "high art" subject of a hunt is reproduced and made more widely available through printmaking. Editor: That’s a great point. It democratizes the image, makes it less exclusive. Is there anything about the hunting theme itself that stands out from a materialist point of view? Curator: Hunting, especially during the Baroque period, was deeply tied to notions of power and aristocratic privilege. But here, through the medium of print, Flamen is producing a commodity, meant for consumption, shifting the image from one of pure status to one that can be bought and sold. The tools used, the paper it's printed on – all speak to a burgeoning commercial market. Where do you think these images would be found and by whom? Editor: Probably in more middle-class homes, or used in books. I hadn't really considered how the printmaking process changed its social function. It’s not just art, it's a product! Curator: Precisely. And examining it as a product allows us to see art not as separate from but as intertwined with broader economic and social forces. Thanks for highlighting such interesting qualities in this Flamen print.