Seaport 1667

Curator: Matthäus Küsel’s "Seaport," held here at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a fascinating scene. The etching depicts a port, framed by architectural ruins and lush trees, populated by figures in period dress. Editor: It feels theatrical, almost like a stage set! The crisp lines create a world both ordered and slightly dreamlike, with the towering ships in the background acting as a looming omen. Curator: Indeed. Consider the context; ports were hubs of trade, colonization, and exploitation. Küsel was influenced by a time when the sea was the artery of empires, carrying not only goods but also power dynamics. Editor: The ships, then, symbolize more than just commerce. They reflect ambition, conquest, and perhaps even the anxieties of a society grappling with its own expansion. The image calls to mind the maritime symbolism in emblem books! Curator: Absolutely. It’s a reminder of how representations of seemingly benign scenes can encode complex political and social realities. Editor: And how visual allegories are enduring, complex mirrors of ourselves.