Landscape with Shepherds c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Landscape with Shepherds," an anonymous etching. It's incredibly detailed; you can see the texture of the sheep's wool and the folds in the shepherds' clothing. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Look closely at the lines, the cross-hatching. This speaks to a deliberate, labor-intensive process. Consider the social context: who was producing these images, for whom, and what role did such landscapes play in shaping perceptions of land ownership and pastoral ideals? Editor: So, it's less about the pretty scene and more about the work that went into it and what that work represents? Curator: Precisely. The materiality of the print, its production, distribution, and consumption, those are key. What kind of cultural work did this image perform? Editor: I never thought about it that way. The labor behind the image is now much clearer. Curator: And that, perhaps, allows us to value it differently.