Jacht op hazen 1578

Curator: Ah, yes. Here we have Philips Galle’s “Jacht op hazen,” or “Hare Hunting,” created in 1578. It’s currently housed right here at the Rijksmuseum, and what's especially striking is that it's rendered as an engraving. Editor: Whoa. So much frenetic energy packed into a black-and-white scene. My eyes keep bouncing around; it's a landscape gone wild, with all those hounds and hunters chasing down the poor hares. It makes me feel a little… dizzy, and frankly, a little sad for the hares! Curator: The chaos definitely is part of it, yes! It reminds me of earlier Roman hunting scenes, but filtered through a distinctly Northern Renaissance lens. It’s also important to remember that hare hunting was often highly symbolic, tied to notions of earthly pleasure, perhaps even sinful abandon. Galle cleverly used line to indicate motion in every part of the piece. Even the landscape itself appears to vibrate with this pursuit! Editor: Ah, "earthly pleasure," that reminds me of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, of whom Galle was an avid follower... Makes me think the hares are us—like, average humans scurrying to avoid the hunt. Is it an analogy? Metaphor for societal pressures? Maybe Galle's giving the finger to authority in a subtle way, with all these agitated lines! Curator: (Laughs) Always the rebel artist! Could be. Though Galle often drew upon established iconography. Hunting imagery, even its potential association with unchecked impulses, had been around for centuries. The cultural memory of hunting connects deeply to dominance. Here though, you notice it isn't majestic stags these hunters chase but a very humble little hare... almost pathetic, really. That gives me a sort of ambiguous reading. Editor: Makes you wonder why someone like Galle invested so much effort depicting *that*... a hunt of these lowly hares. Anyway, this wild pursuit certainly triggers some thoughts. So much intention went into what looks like utter pandemonium. What a piece, really! Curator: Indeed. Galle's detailed engraving captures a specific moment in time while also offering glimpses into enduring human themes. Always layered, even in supposed "genre" scenes! Editor: Totally. It's far from your standard bucolic painting. Left me thinking hard, for sure.