Passing Time c. 18th century

Curator: This is "Passing Time" by Benoît Audran the Younger, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Looking at it, I feel a sense of wistful leisure, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. The printmaking process itself, though indirect, adds to that feeling; the etching implying a slower, more deliberate act of creation. Curator: Yes, the detailed etching really does capture the ephemeral nature of leisure, the fleeting moments of music and conversation in a pastoral setting. Editor: And the material reality of that leisure too—the clothing, the instruments, all point to a certain class and its access to particular forms of recreation. Curator: I see it as a reminder that even in moments of relaxation, time continues to slip through our fingers, doesn't it? Editor: A poignant reflection, and it makes me think about the labor that wasn't pictured. The underclass that necessarily provides for leisure. Curator: A sobering point, but perhaps the artwork allows us to find joy and sorrow can co-exist so intimately. Editor: Precisely, and by understanding that, maybe we can begin to reconcile some of those imbalances.