Hunter and Dog c. 19th century

Curator: This is "Hunter and Dog" by Auguste Paul Charles Anastasi, created sometime in the 19th century. There's no specific date assigned to this lithograph, but it's currently part of the Harvard Art Museums' collection. Editor: It has a very shadowed, almost oppressive feel. The hunter and dog are small amidst a riot of foliage. Curator: Indeed. Hunting scenes were popular, reflecting both aristocratic leisure and evolving relationships between humans and nature. Editor: I see the dog as representing loyalty, the hunter, a figure moving within a morally ambiguous landscape of dominance. Curator: Good point. Anastasi was known for landscapes, and this work shows how such scenes can also carry significant social implications. Editor: I’ll be thinking about the symbols of power in this image for a while, and how they reflect society.