Duck Trapping with Dogs 1582

Curator: This engraving, attributed to the Workshop of Philips Galle, is titled "Duck Trapping with Dogs," held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking how the landscape is divided into zones of activity—the open water, the enclosed trap, and the observing figures. The crisp lines almost flatten the depth. Curator: Yes, consider how the contrasting textures—the dense foliage versus the smooth water—create a visual rhythm, guiding the eye across the scene. Note also the deliberate placement of the Latin text, functioning as both description and commentary. Editor: The labor-intensive craft of engraving itself mirrors the act of trapping—a carefully constructed system of control. You see the ducks lured into a deceptive abundance, a consumable commodity. Curator: I find the composition creates a dialogue between nature and artifice, the tension almost palpable. Editor: Indeed, it's a bleak reminder of human manipulation, rendered with meticulous detail.