Jachtgezelschap, vertrekkend uit een stal c. 1733 - 1762

Jean Moyreau made this print of a hunting party leaving a stable, but we don't know when. It's an etching, a type of printmaking that uses acid to create lines on a metal plate. The image tells us about the social life of the wealthy. Hunting was a popular pastime for the aristocracy in the 18th century. Notice the contrast between the finely dressed hunters on horseback and the stable hands tending to the animals. This division of labor reflects the rigid social hierarchy of the time. The print itself also speaks to the cultural institutions of its day. Etchings were often made to reproduce paintings, making art accessible to a wider audience. They also circulated as independent works of art, collected by connoisseurs and displayed in print rooms. By studying prints like this, we can learn about the circulation of images, the tastes of collectors, and the social values of the time. To understand this print better, we can research the history of hunting, the techniques of etching, and the social structures of 18th-century Europe.