Fantastic Landscape 1720 - 1730

Editor: Here we have a woven tapestry titled "Fantastic Landscape" from around 1720 to 1730, attributed to Aubusson. It's such an immersive scene; I feel like I could step right into it! How do you read this piece? Curator: It whispers dreams, doesn't it? The Rococo period just bursting from every stitch! It's not just landscape; it’s a stage, a theatre of the mind. And notice how they’ve layered reality, those earthly foreground plants with the idealized pavilions in the back. As if it's saying, 'reality's great, but isn't imagination better?' What about the, almost oriental, influence there? What does that evoke in you? Editor: I can almost feel the journey to an East faraway dreamworld. The Chinese pavilions seem a bit...placed. Like props on this fantastical stage. Curator: Exactly! A touch of exotic spice sprinkled onto a very European dessert! But beyond the staging, there's also pure joy in craft. Look at the way the weavers rendered those leaves, so tactile you want to reach out and touch them. Weaving itself, it´s a type of painting in another material form, what a clever reinterpretation! Editor: Absolutely! I initially thought it was a painting, because of its great depiction of an environment! I definitely wouldn't have picked up on those oriental influences initially! That little bit of context really elevates it. Curator: Yes, and it really shows art doesn´t stand still. You see art of past cultures blending. This experience is a beautiful invitation for viewers to enter our world of imaginings.