The Fishermen 1771

Editor: Here we have "The Fishermen," a print by Jean-Baptiste Le Prince housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The sepia tones and composition give it a rather romantic feel. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a carefully constructed image, meant to evoke a particular kind of picturesque scene, which speaks to the 18th-century French fascination with the "natural" world. What kind of visual politics are at play here? Editor: So, this idyllic scene is more constructed than real? Curator: Exactly. The ruin, the fishermen, everything is carefully arranged for the viewer's pleasure, reinforcing certain ideas about nature and society. It’s important to consider how such images served the interests of the elite. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered, very insightful. Curator: Indeed, looking at art through a historical lens can reveal more than meets the eye.