Plage des Vaches Noires à Villers c. 19th century

Curator: Maxime Lalanne's print, "Plage des Vaches Noires à Villers," captures a beach scene—there's such a stillness to it. Editor: It feels like a stark meditation on the relationship between land and sea, doesn't it? That imposing cliff face meeting the flat plane of the beach evokes the power structures inherent in land ownership and access. Curator: Yes, there’s a somber quality, almost like a memory fading in the mist. The figures along the shore appear so small against that cliff. I wonder what drew Lalanne to this spot. Editor: Perhaps the "black cows" themselves – a local term for the dark rocks? The name alone hints at a deeper connection between the landscape and human identity. Curator: It makes you think, doesn't it? Each little mark, each etched line, holds a story. Editor: Exactly, and the stories that landscapes tell reflect our own societal structures.