Bison Hunt 1598

Curator: Here we have Antonio Tempesta’s "Bison Hunt," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's an intense depiction of a hunt. Editor: Wow, it feels chaotic! The energy almost vibrates off the print. The high contrast and dense crosshatching really amplify the scene's drama. Curator: Indeed. Tempesta's use of line serves to highlight the tension. Note how the spears create strong diagonals, piercing through the composition and bisons. Editor: It's amazing how much action he captures in such a small space. The horses seem to be leaping off the page. I wonder if this reflects Tempesta's views on nature. Curator: Perhaps. His focus on dynamism and the human figure within landscape is consistent with Mannerist principles of complexity and artificiality. Editor: It almost feels cinematic, like a storyboard for an epic scene. I leave feeling breathless and just a little bit disturbed by the violence.