Waterfalls and a Pool c. 18th century

Editor: Salomon Gessner's "Waterfalls and a Pool" presents this idyllic scene in monochrome. The figures seem almost frozen, not interacting with the nature surrounding them. What power dynamics do you see reflected in this seemingly peaceful image? Curator: Consider how Gessner, living in a time of immense social inequality, might be romanticizing the natural world as an escape. Who is invited into such idealized spaces, and who is excluded? Does this 'natural' landscape mask underlying power structures? Editor: That's a great point, I didn't think of it that way! Curator: Perhaps the figures' passivity reflects a lack of agency, a subtle commentary on the restricted roles available to people at the time. Editor: I'll definitely be thinking about that during my next visit! Curator: Absolutely! It's about looking beyond the surface to see the hidden stories within the art.