Coronatis S. S. Virginis c. 19th century

Editor: This is Christian Ernst Stölzel's "Coronatis S. S. Virginis". It’s a print, and the detail is amazing. What do you see in this piece that might escape a casual viewer like myself? Curator: The key here lies in the printmaking process itself. Consider the labour involved in its creation. Each line etched, each tonal shift carefully rendered, reflecting the social and economic structures that supported such artistic production. The paper, the ink, even the printing press itself, tell a story of materiality and consumption in 19th-century Europe. Editor: So, the focus is on how it was made rather than simply what it depicts? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to think about the division of labour, the accessibility of art to different classes, and the broader systems of exchange that enabled Stölzel to create this work. Editor: That's given me a completely different perspective. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It’s always rewarding to consider the means of production behind the image.