Landscape 17th-18th century

Editor: This is Anton Joseph von Prenner's "Landscape," and it's held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a garden scene, but it feels more symbolic than natural. What symbols do you see playing out here? Curator: The garden itself is a powerful symbol, often representing paradise, innocence, or even earthly delights. The figures, too, are laden with symbolic weight. Editor: How so? Curator: Consider the reclining woman with the child. Does this evoke any specific figures or narratives from mythology or religion for you? Think about the context in which this image was created. Editor: I hadn't thought of that. I guess it's like the artist is drawing on a whole history of those archetypes. Thanks, that opens up a lot to consider. Curator: Indeed. The landscape becomes a stage for examining enduring themes.