Jagers in het bos van Fontainebleau 1897

Editor: Here we have "Hunters in the Forest of Fontainebleau," an etching made in 1897 by Auguste Danse, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s a really interesting scene; the light and shadows almost obscure the hunters entirely within the landscape. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, the Forest of Fontainebleau itself carries significant weight. By the late 19th century, it wasn't just a place; it was an idea. It was *the* place for artists to escape the increasingly industrialized city and reconnect with nature, and each other. Think of the Barbizon school. What purpose might that landscape ideal have served for its contemporary audience? Editor: A space of retreat, maybe? Or a statement against urbanization? The impressionistic style adds to that feeling of transience. Curator: Exactly! Etchings, like this one, were easily reproduced. Consider who had access to these images of Fontainebleau, and how the consumption of nature, even through prints, speaks to social class. Did this representation include everyone or perpetuate a myth of accessibility? Editor: I see your point. While it portrays this idealized nature, it was most likely accessible to a select group who had the luxury to appreciate and purchase art like this. What role does the "hunt" itself have to play? Curator: Hunting at that time was very class-specific. Danse's insertion of hunters seems deliberately chosen. Are they blending *into* the landscape or subtly highlighting its appropriation and use for leisure by certain groups? Is there a critique of that use of space embedded in this picture? Editor: That’s fascinating; I hadn't considered the hunting aspect through that lens. I initially saw it just as figures within a landscape. Curator: Right, and questioning initial assumptions is crucial. Art rarely exists in a vacuum. Hopefully now we see a landscape print reflecting complex relationships of art, nature and society!