Lake of Locarno from Capolago c. 18th century

Curator: Johann Heinrich Meyer, born in the late 17th century, gives us this view of the Lake of Locarno from Capolago. The detailed etching renders a placid landscape, but my attention is drawn to the activity at the shore. Editor: There's a stillness, yes, but the clustered figures along the water's edge feel less like peaceful observation and more like a scene of daily labor, emphasizing the lake's role in transportation and commerce. Curator: Perhaps the figures represent more than just commerce. Water, since antiquity, symbolizes purification, transition, and the unconscious. The people gathered near the lake might be interpreted as poised between worlds. Editor: Or maybe the artist simply wanted to depict the reality of how people interacted with their environment, a record of a specific time and place, using readily available techniques for mass distribution of images. Curator: A beautiful blend of utility and meaning, regardless. Editor: Indeed, a reminder of the many ways we come to understand a scene.