The Fortune-Teller c. 1608

Curator: This is a print called "The Fortune-Teller," by Andries Jacobsz Stock, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, my first thought? A little shiver down my spine. It feels like stepping into a slightly unsettling fairytale. Curator: It does evoke a sense of the uncanny, doesn’t it? Fortune-telling imagery was very popular in the 17th century, offering narratives about social mobility and gender, but with a skeptical eye. Editor: Exactly! There's that elegantly dressed woman, but the scene is cast under this scraggly old tree... it feels like a warning. Curator: Perhaps a commentary on the anxieties around social class and predictions. The image places the viewer as a critical observer, asking us to consider the power dynamics. Editor: And the figures lurking in the shadows? Gives the whole thing a deliciously dark edge. It makes you wonder what secrets are being whispered. Curator: I agree. The print is much more than a straightforward depiction of fortune telling. It’s a reflection on the social and cultural forces at play. Editor: It's a peek into a world of mystery and hidden agendas. Makes you think, doesn’t it?