The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore 1641

Editor: This is an engraving of The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore by Giacomo Lauro, at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like it’s from a book. What strikes me is the intricate detail in the facade. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The engraving reveals not only the architecture but the printing process and its place within a larger system of book production and knowledge dissemination. How does its presence in a book, compared to a standalone print, alter your perception of its value and use? Editor: I guess I never considered the labor involved in creating it, and how it circulated. It’s more than just an image; it’s part of a whole industry. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! Thinking about production, materiality and consumption opens up new ways of seeing.