Two Plovers (or Lapwings, or Peewits) c. 1873

Curator: Karl Bodmer, born in 1809, created this modest print of Two Plovers—or perhaps they are Lapwings, or even Peewits. The print is quite small, only about 9 by 12 centimeters. Editor: The density of the marks and the limited tonal range give it a feeling of compressed energy, like a storm brewing in miniature. Curator: Well, consider the context of its creation. Bodmer was documenting the American West, and this image reflects larger questions about land use, species extinction, and the relationship between humans and the natural world. Editor: That's interesting, but I'm more struck by the process. The intricacy achieved through etching suggests a painstaking engagement with the copper plate itself, yielding this delicate scene. Curator: It prompts us to think about landscape, not just as a visual experience, but as a space loaded with historical and political significance related to colonial expansion. Editor: And to value the labor involved; there’s an intimacy between the hand, the tool, and the material that invites us to contemplate the broader implications of production. Curator: I appreciate how you highlighted the materiality. It really helps to tie this to issues of access, appropriation, and perhaps even exploitation of the natural world. Editor: Agreed. Examining the process reveals the layers of human interaction inherent in depicting nature.