Landschap met Christus met lam op zijn schouders 1673 - 1695

Curator: The delicate lines of this engraving pull you right in, don't they? It's a work by Adam Perelle, titled "Landscape with Christ with a lamb on his shoulders," dating roughly between 1673 and 1695. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Yes, there's an immediate tranquility to it. It's so light, almost ethereal, especially given that it's an etching. That pale tone really enhances the pastoral scene. What strikes me most is the shepherd motif… the figure carrying the lamb—such loaded symbolism! Curator: Precisely. Perelle’s work is rife with such symbols. The figure of Christ carrying the lamb becomes a powerful visual metaphor. Throughout history, it's an archetypal symbol for compassion and sacrifice. It touches deep into our collective memory of Christian narratives. Editor: And situating it within the baroque landscape tradition further enriches its public meaning, right? We have the interplay of the divine figure embedded in an everyday setting... an idealized nature populated with working figures. Curator: Absolutely, the etching allows the possibility to reproduce, disseminate, and communicate values within a particular society. The engraving is also interesting here, because it gives such attention to detail of foliage. In that context, do you think the depiction naturalises, or rather stylises, the landscape, bringing an immediacy to Christ's suffering, his relationship to humanity? Editor: Well, it certainly brings the concept closer to the people. But let's consider that landscapes like these weren't just passive backdrops. Landscape prints like these reinforced notions of property and nationhood. Even religious imagery gets tangled in that. Perelle might also appeal to broader civic sentiments. Curator: That's a compelling point. And this touches upon the political landscape of the time. The baroque embraced spectacle and emotionality but that clearly served the goals of various institutions. Seeing how spiritual themes also supported worldly authority makes me appreciate Perelle’s subtle gestures even more. Editor: Exactly. The layering of meanings! From devotional imagery to displays of socio-political power… It's all there in this beautiful print. Curator: Well, this exploration certainly reveals just how much symbolism can be embedded in a seemingly simple pastoral scene! Editor: Indeed, food for thought in how public tastes are molded by both piety and politics...