Couple Seated in a Glade 1764

Curator: Salomon Gessner’s “Couple Seated in a Glade,” dating back to 1764, is a striking example of his idyllic landscape etchings, here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the sheer density of detail achieved through etching, creating this incredibly textured glade. The almost photographic detail makes you want to enter this space. Curator: Absolutely. And it’s vital to remember that Gessner was Swiss, deeply embedded in a social and intellectual context where the "natural man" was glorified – influenced by Rousseau, certainly. It reflects a yearning for simplicity away from urban societal constructs. How does that desire translate in this image? Editor: Well, the composition guides your eye towards the central couple, of course, but it’s framed by these almost chaotic natural forms; jagged rocks, tangled roots, and that dense tree canopy. The stark contrast between light and dark also guides you, emphasizing an intentionally asymmetrical feel, even within this so-called idealized nature. Curator: Yes! And Gessner employs those stylistic tools to suggest that perhaps the romanticization of rural existence conveniently forgets certain hardships that were faced by the working class at this time, doesn’t it? The print idealizes leisure. Look at how different is this experience in comparison with what someone performing field labour might undergo? Editor: I can agree to a certain degree; however, there is the emphasis, as said before, on contrast: while idealized, these are two individuals situated in rough and even dark, complex nature. Gessner wants us to consider both extremes; nature's dark chaos against a controlled, man-made, enlightenment. Curator: Perhaps, or are we missing a wider comment, through Gessner, on gender and identity roles within these spaces. Is he creating an image which empowers the couple—are they enjoying that romanticized vision, or constrained by societal expectations placed upon their identities and genders at this time? What should one see when presented with this artwork? Editor: I find, at the formal level, the true genius lies in the manipulation of light and shade to produce texture. In reality, Gessner does not have an intention like that, that comes solely with further approaches or modern interpretation, through feminist, gender, and class expectations from us to an 18th-century artist. Curator: Maybe. Gessner definitely leaves that space for questioning, though. Editor: And questioning, maybe, is the work's point of leaving. It stays in your head, definitely.