Shooters in a Forest Glade c. 1620 - 1661

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we’re fortunate to have Adriaen van Stalbemt’s "Shooters in a Forest Glade," an oil painting dating roughly from 1620 to 1661. Editor: Wow, instantly gives me a sort of conspiratorial, hushed feeling. Dark greens and browns, these little figures milling about like they're up to something secretive. Curator: It's fascinating how Stalbemt combines a genre scene with a landscape. We see these figures, presumably hunters, set within this dense, almost stage-like forest. The use of oil paint allows for those incredibly subtle gradations in the foliage. Editor: Yes! It almost feels like you could smell the damp earth and decaying leaves. And you’re right about stage-like; that fallen tree acts as a perfect visual barrier, half-revealing, half-concealing. Like theater. Curator: And that concealment is key to understanding it historically. Shooting wasn’t simply a recreational activity; it was linked to land ownership, social status, and access to resources. These "shooters," probably landowners themselves, are participating in activities tied to economic power. Editor: I’m struck by how ordinary they seem. You wouldn't think of shooting as highbrow if you saw them, you know, in the pub afterward. What about their outfits, though? The garments tell such a detailed, complex story. Curator: Precisely! The fabrics, cuts, and embellishments spoke volumes about status and profession. The artist takes pains to reproduce the feel of the materials, revealing how important that was within society. Plus, that helps tell us something of the patronage involved in commissioning this painting! Editor: There's a tension here. On one hand, nature's grandeur, on the other hand the hunters and how this image reflects human activities and their role in history. Curator: Absolutely, the artwork encourages questions regarding the interaction of nature and the prevailing societal forces of the time. A remarkable encapsulation of a very specific cultural moment expressed with the rich materials and methods typical of baroque oil-painting practices. Editor: I have enjoyed getting to dive deeper into this work, a fresh consideration for Stalbemt's creation!