The Hunter 1924

Curator: This is Jean Emile Laboureur's "The Hunter," currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. There isn't a date associated with the print. Editor: It feels melancholic. The hunter seems burdened, perhaps even lost in thought, as he journeys through this landscape. Curator: Hunting has historically been a symbol of power, a privilege often tied to aristocracy. Laboureur, however, presents us with a solitary figure. Editor: Yes, but what does that solitude signify? Is it alienation, or perhaps a commentary on the changing social landscape post-World War I? Curator: Interesting point. The war certainly reshaped hierarchies and challenged traditional roles, impacting imagery and artistic expression. Editor: The hunter, burdened and alone, becomes a symbol of a society grappling with loss and uncertainty. Curator: Indeed, Laboureur's print invites us to consider the complexities of power, identity, and the human condition in a time of upheaval. Editor: It also makes me think about who hunting excludes, and at whose expense this practice is carried out. Curator: A good point to consider.