Wolvenjacht bij Conflans, Savoie 1688 - 1721

Curator: This print is titled "Wolvenjacht bij Conflans, Savoie," which translates to "Wolf Hunt near Conflans, Savoy." It’s a scene rendered in ink and engraving, likely created between 1688 and 1721 by Jan Vincentsz. van der Vinne. Editor: Oof, it feels hectic, doesn't it? Like a snapshot of pure, unbridled chaos—horses charging, dogs leaping, all sketched out with such frantic energy. You can almost hear the baying and shouts echoing off those mountains in the background. Curator: Indeed. The artist uses line work quite meticulously to create a sense of depth and frenzied movement. Notice how the density of lines increases in the foreground, drawing the eye into the heart of the hunt. Editor: I'm struck by the figures at the very front. There’s such stark contrast—some scrambling about on foot, others commanding on horseback. You wonder about the power dynamics at play; the contrast between those controlling the hunt and those just desperately trying to keep up. Curator: One might also read this through the lens of social history, where wolf hunts were not only about pest control but also displays of aristocratic power. The landscape is not merely a backdrop; it’s an active participant, its wildness mirroring the untamed nature of the wolf, but also highlighting man's intrusion into it. Editor: It's fascinating how much information van der Vinne manages to cram into such a seemingly simple medium, all those layers of frantic action. He even throws in a moody backdrop! I can almost smell the wet earth and hear the pounding hooves. Curator: Absolutely. It is a piece that rewards close looking, both for its technical accomplishment and its contextual implications within seventeenth and early eighteenth-century society. The interplay of man and nature, power and survival... it is all there. Editor: And it certainly sparks the imagination! For me, I leave here now considering man's impact on animals across time. A heavy reflection to carry on now through this space.