Man pressing down a harpy c. 16th century

Editor: This engraving, "Man pressing down a harpy" by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, depicts exactly that, a man and a harpy. I’m struck by the raw physicality of it. What is your perspective on this piece? Curator: Looking at the materiality, consider the copperplate engraving process. The labor involved in creating this image – the tools, the press, the ink – speaks to a broader culture of printmaking and its role in disseminating ideas and images. How does understanding this production method change your view of the work? Editor: It makes me think about the labor and accessibility of the image. Curator: Exactly. It moves beyond just the narrative of man versus harpy and into thinking about the social context of its creation and consumption. Understanding that, what do you make of the harpy’s presentation? Editor: I now see it within a larger system of production and exchange. Thanks for the insight!