Landscape, from a series of six landscapes titled "Observationib.Astronom.Regiae.Paris.Scient. Acad...1736" 1736

This is "Landscape, from a series of six landscapes titled "Observationib.Astronom.Regiae.Paris.Scient. Acad...1736", an engraving by Quentin Pierre Chedel, created around 1736. Chedel’s scene provides a window into the 18th century French countryside, but also speaks to the social and economic realities of the time. The presence of livestock and figures engaged in labor offers a glimpse into the lives of rural communities. The figures in transit on horseback, alongside the laboring class, highlights the disparities in mobility and lifestyle between different social strata. The small scale of the print invites close inspection, encouraging viewers to contemplate the details of this carefully constructed world. What does it mean to observe and document, and for whom? Consider the role of landscape in shaping identity and belonging, both for those who inhabit it and for those who encounter it through art.