Fontein met panter 1705 - 1761

Curator: Here we have Gabriel Huquier's "Fontein met panter," or "Fountain with Panther," an engraving dating from somewhere between 1705 and 1761. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of ornate abundance. The detail is incredible—a tumbling waterfall, lush grapevines, even the drowsy-looking panther. Curator: Absolutely. As a Rococo piece, this print leans heavily into allegory. The panther, for example, wasn’t merely decorative; it stood as a symbol of Dionysus, further associating fountains with the Bacchic rituals of revelry. Editor: So, not just any animal would do. Its presence anchors the imagery, doesn't it? This was created as an engraving. What kind of printing process did Huquier likely employ? It appears that he created texture on the plate by building it up and carving it away in a pretty skilled subtractive process, I imagine. Curator: Precisely! He utilized meticulous lines to translate the tactile sensations into this format. Consider also how the water becomes an emblem, a symbol of purity and abundance. Editor: Right. The cascading waterfall is interesting. I see water as labor, of course. Moving water required the labor of both humans and animals. Its transformation into something decorative really speaks to the consumption habits of the well-to-do who would have enjoyed an ornamental work like this. I'm curious about how the print itself might have circulated in society. Curator: Very interesting, a lot of labour hidden from sight for those privileged enough to afford the aesthetics and ideology promoted by such symbolism. This also was circulated widely thanks to printmaking's nature, allowing its symbolism and ideals to pervade social consciousness, to disseminate its specific brand of idyllic aristocracy further than any unique artwork might manage to. Editor: A kind of industrialized pastoral fantasy then! Reflecting on all this, the abundance initially struck me as solely decorative. But seeing how carefully embedded each symbol is—like water or a carefully chosen wildcat—really amplifies the historical charge this engraving still carries. Curator: It's a visual encapsulation of an era's mindset. Hopefully we've helped shed some light on this "Fountain with Panther" and its resonating meanings.