Plate II 18th-19th century

Editor: This is "Plate II" by Adrian Zingg. The etching feels very composed, almost staged. What do you see in this landscape? Curator: I see a carefully constructed representation of power dynamics embedded within the landscape. Consider the figures driving livestock; how does Zingg subtly reinforce hierarchies and the relationship between humanity and the natural world? Editor: So, not just a pretty picture, but a statement about control? Curator: Precisely. And consider the period. How might this idealized view serve to legitimize particular social or political structures of the time? What narratives are consciously included or excluded? Editor: I hadn't considered that! It gives the image so much more depth. Curator: Exactly. It's about interrogating whose story is being told and how landscape itself can be a tool for ideological expression.