Hertenjacht met twee ruiters 1710 - 1763

Curator: This is Jan Peeter Verdussen's "Deer Hunt with Two Riders," an etching crafted sometime between 1710 and 1763. Editor: My first impression is all swift lines and restless energy, it really evokes the chaos of the hunt! Curator: The landscape, although economical in detail, serves less as a faithful rendering and more as a stage for a complex interplay of power. Hunting in this period was heavily ritualized. Hunting and the right to hunt has always been controlled by governments for centuries to maintain peace, protect livestock and protect certain rights for citizens. Editor: Yes, look at the way Verdussen uses the hatching to define the figures. The riders, the dogs, even the deer themselves seem caught in a flurry of activity and they lead your eye right through the entire picture frame to find the conclusion in the landscape in the background. There is definitely more space at the background to give space to your imagination! Curator: Considering the socio-political landscape of the time, the scene becomes not just a depiction of sport but also a statement of dominance of that upper class, of those in power and that status presented and seen. Editor: From a formal perspective, the use of line is incredibly skillful. Note how Verdussen uses lighter strokes to suggest distance and atmosphere, a reductionist way to still show dimension. The composition guides your eye, mimicking the dynamic chase itself. It creates movement that I appreciate. Curator: I would also suggest noting where the print would have circulated, this piece of work was produced within the guild and what power does it reflect with their work in society at large during this period. Editor: It’s really interesting to view it from both angles. It feels like a window into a past time when human social control was paramount in their societies. The art and print that come with this show us. Thank you. Curator: It definitely adds further depths and nuances to pieces like this for us to understand better in todays current climate and to learn what comes after us and past times.