Landschap met Gehoor(?) 1704

Curator: Bernard Picart etched this engraving, *Landschap met Gehoor(?)*, in 1704. The title translates to Landscape with Hearing(?), although that interpretation remains somewhat contested. It's here at the Rijksmuseum. What catches your eye about it? Editor: The most striking thing is how academic it feels. A classical tableau set within this, rather odd, natural backdrop. It feels… calculatedly erudite, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Absolutely. There is that interplay between classicism and baroque that defines so much of that era, that push-pull between a classical style but incorporating newer themes of science, natural philosophy, and colonialism. The allegory is referencing not simply the five senses, but how they are categorized. The tension between them creates a new meaning in how each sense acts as a piece within the structure of a political body. Editor: I am struck by the central figure of the warrior goddess. That spear she holds – a symbol of power and authority, absolutely, but her posture suggests something more directive. A desire to dominate and persuade using that power. But whom does she represent? I note the musical instruments at the lower left – and a lyre held by a cherubic figure overhead… a connection to Apollo, perhaps? Or is this Pallas Athena instructing us on proper harmony? Curator: I would venture to say the image represents how different components can either strengthen or diminish each other within the realm of governance, such as the interaction between intellect and creative expression, or the harmony of music. And, of course, as always the relationship between feminine presentation and traditionally masculine tools or themes... What are the implications for the role of gender and class, in 18th-century Europe, when it comes to "landscape", "sound," or "harmony"? Editor: Intriguing indeed. I leave contemplating those complex intersections you described, and how meaning echoes across the centuries, constantly being re-heard, in a way. Curator: And perhaps re-composed! It has me thinking about the visual legacies of empires – so easily misheard – as well. A fascinating print that continues to resonate and demand attention.