Mountainous Landscape c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Dancker Danckerts’s "Mountainous Landscape," an etching from the mid-17th century currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The detail is incredible! What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider this landscape within the context of the Dutch Golden Age. How does it reflect the era's complex relationship with nature, considering colonial expansion and resource extraction at the time? Editor: That's a great point. I was just looking at it as a pretty picture. Curator: Think about the figures traveling through the landscape. Are they simply pastoral figures, or do they represent a broader societal shift, a changing relationship to land and ownership? Editor: I see what you mean. It makes me think about access to land today, and who gets to enjoy these kinds of landscapes. Curator: Exactly. Art from the past can provide insights into present-day struggles for environmental and social justice. Editor: This has completely changed how I see this piece. Thank you!