Vijf jagers en hond bij de jacht op steenbokken en gemzen 1483 - 1526

Curator: Here we have a piece called "Five Hunters and Dog Hunting Ibex and Chamois," an engraving by Hans Burgkmair, dating from somewhere between 1483 and 1526. Editor: It feels meticulously crafted. I’m drawn to the way the linear hatching almost mimics the rough texture of woven cloth. It lends the scene an unexpected grit. Curator: The engraving’s reliance on line does allow the artist to focus the viewer’s eye upon precise details. Look at how each figure, though similarly attired, sports headgear seemingly chosen to denote his individual status within the hunting party. Editor: Absolutely. And notice the spears. They are uniform. Manufactured? Do you think this implies an increasingly formalized or even commodified hunt? What were the means used to create these implements? Who were the makers and how does it reflect social stratification? Curator: It suggests, perhaps, an increasing cultural investment in the rituals surrounding hunting. Not merely sustenance, but sport. Observe that all of these men look fit, healthy and equipped for success, a visual reminder of the hunt's longstanding association with masculine virtues and princely power. Editor: Power dynamics definitely ripple from this piece. The act of the hunt has always been entwined with class. How did these types of events impact the ecological landscape as well? Curator: One sees reflected in this print, the consolidation of secular authority that echoes far beyond the depicted hunting grounds into realms both material and symbolic. Editor: A singular print opens multiple lines of inquiry then. Thanks for guiding our reading. Curator: It has been a pleasure; one hopes this discussion will encourage listeners to seek out these connections independently!