Crowning with Thorns c. 17th century

Editor: This is Cornelis Galle the Younger's "Crowning with Thorns." It’s hard not to focus on the brutality of the scene, but I'm struck by the way the printmaking process itself, with its lines and textures, renders such violence. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Consider the etching process here. Galle used acid to bite into the metal plate, transforming it into a matrix for mass production. This challenges traditional ideas about unique artistic creation. How does that mass production, that commodification, affect our reading of the scene? Editor: So, the act of recreating this scene over and over again almost diminishes the impact? Curator: Perhaps. Or does it amplify it, by making it available for wider consumption and reflection on power, labor, and the market for religious imagery? Editor: That’s fascinating. I’ll definitely think about the production next time. Curator: Indeed, it’s essential to consider the labor embedded within art itself.