Landscape with Daphne Changing Into a Laurel 1670

Curator: This is Melchior Küsel's "Landscape with Daphne Changing Into a Laurel," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The dimensions of the sheet are 15 x 22 cm. Editor: It has a haunting, almost desperate energy, doesn't it? The landscape feels both vast and oppressive, mirroring Daphne's plight. Curator: Absolutely. Küsel’s interpretation of the myth seems particularly relevant in an era where bodily autonomy remains a contested space, especially for women. Daphne's transformation speaks to themes of resistance and forced escape. Editor: The contrast between the intricate detailing of the figures and the looser rendering of the landscape is striking. It almost seems like two separate realities colliding on the same plane. Curator: That's a key point. The landscape, while beautiful, becomes a site of coercion, a space where power dynamics play out. Editor: It's a potent reminder that even the most seemingly idyllic settings can conceal complex narratives of power and transformation.