Twee hazewindhonden 1610 - 1653

Curator: Let’s spend a few moments with this lovely engraving from Simon de Vlieger, known as "Twee hazewindhonden," which translates to "Two Greyhounds," created sometime between 1610 and 1653, a testament to the artist's keen observation of animal forms. It is made with an etching technique. Editor: It's incredibly elegant. There’s something melancholy about it, though, isn’t there? Almost a quiet watchfulness…or perhaps a looming expectation. I imagine this print could live as well on the walls of an aging hunting lodge, as it could over a dog lover’s mantle. The details, particularly on their faces, are mesmerizing. Curator: The etching allows for those fine lines and subtle gradations of tone. Given the socio-economic context of the Dutch Golden Age, works like this weren’t just portraits of animals, but symbols of wealth and leisure. Consider the ways that class and hunting were inextricably linked in European society and how artists mediated those relationships. How might we interpret the stillness within the work? Editor: True. You wonder what they’re contemplating. Are they expecting the hunt? Are they bored with waiting for instructions from the huntsman? There’s this tension – even love, with the greyhound nuzzling. Perhaps an unspoken language passing between them. And their sleek forms against the vague landscape, it's almost sculptural in a way. Curator: Indeed. Also, consider that within discourses of animal studies and visual culture, we might ask what the implications are of framing animals solely through the lens of human utility or projection. What nuances get missed? What power dynamics are perpetuated when these "portraits" prioritize breed and function above all else? Editor: Right! What kind of lives are they living? Who benefits, truly? Perhaps it makes us think not just of dogs then, or art history, but about the ways our own perceptions can be... contained. These two remind me that the quiet, in-between moments are sometimes the truest ones. Curator: Exactly, a necessary perspective as we continue to explore this image. Thanks for helping me understand "Twee hazewindhonden" on a different, human and material level. Editor: My pleasure. Thank you for inviting me to look with you at Simon de Vlieger’s greyhounds. I have a strange desire now to spend more time outside observing other beings and landscapes.