Winter 1745

Curator: This is "Winter", an engraving by Nicolas de Larmessin III, created in 1745. It captures a scene of leisure, figures skating on a frozen landscape. Editor: Ah, immediately, I'm struck by the precariousness of it all! The scene has a lovely elegance, but I get this chill of, well, anxiety too. That ice looks awfully thin! Is it me, or does this feel a bit like watching a reality show? Curator: In its time, the artwork tapped into both Baroque sensibilities and burgeoning trends in landscape art. We see a move towards genre-painting too—moments from everyday life becoming artistic subjects. Larmessin presents this tableau almost like a stage play, very carefully composed and theatrical. Editor: Stage play indeed! The way they’re posed, especially the gentleman on the right with his hands on his hips, almost daring the ice. It makes you wonder about their lives, their concerns beyond a day on the ice... that balancing act of showing off, staying afloat, literally and perhaps metaphorically! The frozen landscape acts as the ground, a scene from their world. It is very playful in a dark way. Curator: Right, these images acted as reflections of the elite’s activities. To be depicted enjoying recreational skating reinforced notions of privilege and social standing. Furthermore, the engraving process meant such imagery could be reproduced and distributed, widening its social impact and spreading particular views of leisure and luxury. Editor: So, it's a status symbol, expertly printed. But more than that, the beauty of the piece lies in its dark humor. Like a dance on thin ice, one that still resonates deeply with the anxiety of modern life! The precision of line, that detail… everything is a performance! I could contemplate this print for days! Curator: Absolutely! Larmessin captured not just an activity, but an ethos. Editor: An ethos… or a trap. Depending on which side of the ice you're on!