Hermitage 1793

Curator: Here we have Jean Jacques de Boissieu's "Hermitage," a work from the late 18th century, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, this little etching… it feels like a stage set for a fairytale. Worn buildings, figures cloaked and small, about to deliver some grave news to the woodcutter. Curator: Well, Boissieu lived through a tumultuous time, bridging the ancien régime and the French Revolution. We can contextualize this "Hermitage" within broader narratives of societal upheaval and the yearning for simpler ways of life. Editor: True, but look at the light! It almost dissolves the decay and suggests… not hope, exactly, but a certain resilience. Like nature reclaiming what's been built. Curator: Absolutely, and the artist’s decision to depict such a humble scene speaks to the rising interest in pastoral themes, reflecting back on the laboring class. Editor: Makes me want to pack a lunch and wander into the woods, forgetting all about… everything. Curator: By observing the interplay between the architectural and the organic, we can consider the artwork as an engagement with philosophies of sustainability, long before those terms became mainstream. Editor: It's funny, isn't it? How a tiny, quiet scene can hold so much…conversation. Curator: Indeed. Hopefully this piece allows for further dialogue surrounding the societal influences that affect art.