St George Killing the Dragon 1542

Editor: So, here we have Enea Vico’s “St. George Killing the Dragon,” from 1542, an engraving currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It feels almost frantic, with all that swirling line work. How do you interpret this work? Curator: As a materialist, I see this print as a fascinating product of its time, deeply rooted in the means of its production and the social context surrounding it. The very act of creating an engraving like this speaks to a developing print culture, where images were becoming more accessible, acting like a kind of visual commodity. How do you think the material of printmaking influenced its message? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn’t considered how the choice of engraving democratized the image itself. Does that imply this imagery was now consumed more broadly? Curator: Precisely. Consider the labor involved. The skilled artisan meticulously carves into a copper plate, allowing for the reproduction of this dramatic scene, seemingly tailored for consumption and display within a broader market. Is the heroic tale a metaphor of triumph, but is that in line with the physical production? Editor: I can see that connection more clearly now! The process, initially handcrafted, led to mass-produced images for society, a point of tension perhaps? It prompts me to reflect how materials influence broader societal implications. Curator: Exactly! Thinking about materiality here encourages us to move past solely aesthetic judgements, and to instead focus on what it meant to create, circulate, and consume this image during the 16th century.