Plate II 18th-19th century

Curator: This is "Plate II," an engraving by Victor Pillement, born in 1767. It's currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It evokes such a sense of languid labor. The ox, the figure with a stick, the ramshackle cart—they speak of a life closely bound to the land and its toils. Curator: Consider the materials used in creating this print, the way the copperplate etches away under acid to hold the ink. It makes me think of the labor and skill required to make prints like this, making art accessible beyond painting and sculpture. Editor: But the oxen, the man, the city in the distance—they echo archetypes of pastoral life, perhaps infused with a romantic vision of labor as being close to nature, while also reflecting broader themes of human connection to landscape and civilization. Curator: Yes, and the composition itself invites us to consider the artist's intention, the way Pillement uses perspective to draw the viewer's eye from the detailed foreground to the distant town. It shows a sophisticated understanding of the printmaking process. Editor: In the end, I am left with a sense of timelessness and a connection to our shared history through these enduring symbols. Curator: And for me, it underscores the power of printmaking to disseminate images and ideas across time and cultures.