Pastoral Scene 17th-18th century

Editor: Here we have Johann Gotthold Seiffert's "Pastoral Scene," a sepia drawing. It feels like a stage, with figures posed among classical ruins. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s a fascinating staging of power. The figures, seemingly frozen, are set against the backdrop of decaying classical architecture. Who had access to this kind of leisure? What does it mean to reimagine classical ideals in a society built on inequality? Editor: So, it's not just a pretty landscape? Curator: Landscapes are rarely just landscapes. They reflect social values, often masking the realities of labor and exploitation. Whose labor made this "pastoral" scene possible? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely. Keep questioning whose stories are being told, and whose are being left out.