Hunters Watching Their Bird Traps c. 16th century

Editor: This is Antonio Tempesta's "Hunters Watching Their Bird Traps." It's difficult to pin down the date, but Tempesta lived between 1555 and 1630. The composition is dominated by these strange, gridded structures. What do you make of them? Curator: The etchings show the means by which humans dominate their environment through manufactured objects. How does the labor invested in constructing these traps, transforming raw materials into tools of control, reflect the relationship between humans and the natural world at the time? Editor: So it's not just about the hunt, but about the work involved? Curator: Exactly! Consider the social context and the consumption. The means of production is central to understanding the artwork's message.