Jagtens tilbedelse og dens nytte 1750 - 1770

Editor: This is "Jagtens tilbedelse og dens nytte," or "The Adoration and Use of Hunting," a print made with woodcut and coloured pencil between 1750 and 1770. I am struck by how it seems to be both celebrating and maybe critiquing the practice of hunting. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s interesting you pick up on that tension. Often, these genre scenes seem innocuous, but they can reflect broader social anxieties. Hunting was historically tied to power, wealth, and control over resources. Notice how the hunters are centrally located and armed. Editor: So, is the "use" aspect in the title implying something about resource exploitation? Curator: Exactly. Think about how access to land and hunting rights were regulated. Who benefitted, and who was excluded? The print subtly hints at a socio-economic hierarchy through its depiction of a privileged hunting party against the backdrop of a manipulated landscape. Consider, too, that hunting was traditionally gendered; are there clues about gender roles embedded within the print? Editor: It seems women are supporting figures within the work. Perhaps this landscape speaks to broader societal roles? Curator: Precisely. This wasn’t simply about sport. The print allows us to interrogate how power dynamics, ecological exploitation, and even gender were encoded within seemingly innocent pastimes. These early prints provide critical insights into the cultural and historical narratives surrounding class and access to resources during the period. Editor: I hadn’t considered the historical implications of hunting. Now I can see it less as simple landscape and more as a reflection of societal structures and power. Thanks for clarifying. Curator: Absolutely, by asking questions and challenging norms, we unearth histories.