Cascade 1760

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the stillness despite the cascade. It's serene, almost melancholic. Editor: That's interesting. This is "Cascade," an etching by Johann Georg Wille. Wille, who lived from 1715 to 1808, was a renowned engraver. Curator: The waterfall is more of a backdrop. My eye is drawn to the figures – they seem placed there to amplify a sense of watchful contemplation. What do you make of their clothing? Editor: I see a shepherdess in the foreground, and what appears to be a hunter. This imagery, idealized rural life, was very popular in the 18th century. It speaks to social anxieties and a yearning for simpler times. Curator: Yes, there's definitely a longing for harmony with nature. The cascade isn't just water; it's a symbol of cleansing, rebirth, of the eternal cycle. Editor: It also represents the increasing desire among the aristocracy to return to nature, even if in art only. Food for thought when you come face to face with a piece like this. Curator: It invites a slower way of looking, a reminder of nature's enduring power over us.