Orchids -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Editor: This delicate illustration of orchids is by Hu Zhengyan, and comes from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting. It feels so serene. How would you interpret its place in art history? Curator: Well, the *Ten Bamboo Studio Manual* was revolutionary in its time. It democratized access to art and culture. How does making art accessible affect its social impact? Editor: That's interesting. It's like printing shifted power away from the elite. So, the mass production of art changed its role in society. Curator: Precisely! And think about the symbolism of orchids, a symbol of refinement and integrity. Making such imagery widely available... Editor: It shifts the meaning a bit, perhaps making refinement more of a social ideal than an exclusive privilege. I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Exactly, and what are the implications of this on the modern politics of imagery? Editor: Wow, that's a lot to think about. Thanks!