Album met voorstellingen van jachtscènes naar ontwerp van Marcus Gheeraerts (I) Possibly 1570 - 1939

Editor: Right now, we’re looking at an album from between 1570 and 1939, here at the Rijksmuseum, attributed to an anonymous artist. It’s an album of hunting scenes after Marcus Gheeraerts (I), using paper, collage, and coloured pencil. The cover gives the impression of marbled stone; very formal, somehow… What catches your eye? Curator: Ah, yes! Isn't it wonderful how something so potentially chaotic, like a hunting scene, is contained within such a serene cover? To me, that marbled effect speaks of time and nature’s slow, swirling transformations. Perhaps it’s meant to be reminiscent of the game’s natural habitat? Almost like looking into a still pond, knowing the flurry of life underneath...what do you make of that stark contrast? Editor: I never thought about the pond effect. Now I see it! It also feels a little like a coded message, a bit like a secret society book. Are there any symbolic meanings? Curator: Symbolism is absolutely part of it. Hunting was such a formal sport at the time and hunting scenes were popular because of their links to nature. Consider, though, the dates – it's a huge range. This could be a contemporary binding on an older manuscript, a collector's fancy... which changes the way you perceive it, doesn't it? Does that idea add another layer for you? Editor: Totally. It makes the piece much more multi-layered and intriguing, even the marbled effect becomes a complex artistic statement on nature and time, in general. Thanks. Curator: And thank you! Looking at art with fresh eyes is the best way to keep it alive.