Illustration II c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Illustration II" by an anonymous artist, held at the Harvard Art Museums. It has such a flat, graphic quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Look closely at the lines, the patterns pressed into the paper. The labor involved in carving those blocks, the mechanics of the printing press... consider the economics of producing and distributing such an image, and who might have been its intended consumer. Editor: So, you’re more interested in the "how" than the "what" of the image? Curator: Precisely. The materials, the production process, the social context surrounding its creation, these are often more revealing than the subject matter itself. Editor: I never considered the labor aspect so deeply. Thank you. Curator: It changes how you see, doesn't it?