Meisje schuilt voor de bliksem achter een hooiberg 1835

Curator: Welcome. Let’s explore this engraving from 1835, "Meisje schuilt voor de bliksem achter een hooiberg," by Paul Gavarni, housed right here in the Rijksmuseum. It depicts what looks like a child sheltering during a storm. Editor: Immediately, the composition strikes me as vulnerable but hopeful. The contrast between the dark sky hinted at with these cross hatched lines and the child's pose… it's almost cinematic! A tiny figure against nature’s immensity. It’s funny, isn’t it? How we create these scenes. Curator: Precisely. Gavarni, known for his contributions to academic art, likely created this print as a commercial endeavor, exploiting themes of shelter and nature. The engraving itself, as a repeatable medium, speaks to ideas of accessibility and dissemination of imagery. It really tells us about the labor required for printing techniques at the time. Editor: It really shows how far away you get from it just by the description. To me, the figure’s isolation emphasizes our deep human connection to the landscape and our yearning for protection, I mean a dark scary storm… even just a tiny child could know that. Do you think the fact it's printed, somehow diminishes the intent, Curator? Curator: Not diminishes, but contextualizes it. It moves it away from the uniqueness often ascribed to fine art. The material reality is key here—cheap reproduction means more viewers, more consumption. That changes its function in society, but as its so detailed I'm certain that many original models had to be used! Editor: So, not an inspired act of singular genius then, but the product of production! Hmm... you always bring me back down to earth, but maybe it's good! Anyway, it gives it new energy: something almost magical transfigured through his careful rendering. I have seen real magic created from engravings and prints! Curator: Absolutely, that transformation relies heavily on labor practices within the printing workshop of his time, impacting everything from scale to imagery to subject matter. Thinking about the cost of labor at the time could inform our views so very strongly! Editor: Well, thanks, Curator. I feel both artistically moved, and materially informed – it's an odd mix, isn't it, from this little Dutch master engraving... but, for sure, this makes me want to curl up next to a haystack in the sunshine! Curator: As intended: engaging art and accessible art!