Oriental Hunters Killing Monkeys c. 16th century

Curator: This is Antonio Tempesta's "Oriental Hunters Killing Monkeys." The scene feels brutal, chaotic. Editor: The dense lines give it a frantic energy, but it also speaks to the laborious process of etching itself. Curator: Exactly. Looking at it through a postcolonial lens, the title itself is problematic, exoticizing and demonizing the 'Orient.' What constitutes 'Oriental' in this context? The violence enacted here highlights the power dynamics inherent in such depictions. Editor: I'm struck by the materiality of the monkeys' bodies. They're rendered almost indistinguishably from the human figures, emphasizing their vulnerability. Curator: It's a dehumanization that resonates disturbingly well with contemporary forms of othering and violence. Editor: A haunting image, indeed. Curator: It forces us to confront uncomfortable historical and contemporary narratives.