Summer 17th-18th century

Curator: Jean Audran, born in 1667, created this print entitled "Summer". Look at the scale; it is roughly 47 by 62 cm. Editor: My immediate feeling? It’s a reverie, a sun-soaked afternoon dream. The texture is gorgeous, intricate. Curator: Audran made prints after compositions by other artists. It seems his practice reflects the importance of dissemination through printmaking during his time. Editor: Yes, printmaking allowed for images to move through society. The figures feel like archetypes of carefree summer. The clouds even look like fluffy dreams. Curator: How interesting that you mention the clouds! They almost feel like they have a will of their own, drifting toward the figures, but it is a staged carefree mood. Editor: Perhaps! I like that tension. It makes me wonder if Audran was hinting at something beyond the surface, something we can't quite grasp. Curator: It’s an idyllic, imagined scene, but the detail in the foliage and figures really pulls you in. I’m thinking about the function of this image in its moment. Editor: And I'm left with the echo of a perfect summer afternoon, a feeling as fleeting and beautiful as the season itself. A lovely moment of imagination.