Entrance to the Forest of Fontainebleau on the Road of Lyon 1764

Curator: Here we have Jean Jacques de Boissieu's "Entrance to the Forest of Fontainebleau on the Road of Lyon," a delicate rendering captured in ink. Editor: The composition feels staged, almost theatrical, but the ink strokes also make it feel like a lived-in space. Curator: De Boissieu masterfully uses the trees as framing devices, drawing the viewer into the landscape. Notice how the light dapples the leaves, creating a sense of depth. It reminds us that forests have long symbolized both refuge and the unknown in our collective psyche. Editor: I think that it’s interesting to consider how access to this space – even then – would have been very different depending on your gender and socioeconomic status. The hunters, the people on the road… they all have a purpose that is defined by the space, and the space is also defined by them. Curator: That's a wonderful point. The forest, then, becomes a stage for social interactions and power dynamics. Editor: Exactly. And, like any space, its meaning is constantly shifting based on who has access to it and why. Curator: De Boissieu invites us to reconsider the symbolic weight we give to these spaces. Editor: Indeed, by interrogating their power, we might better understand ourselves and the stories we project onto the land.