Victor Hugo, De Trois Quarts 1884

Editor: Here we have Auguste Rodin’s “Victor Hugo, De Trois Quarts” from 1884. It’s an etching, so a print on paper. I find the line work so expressive, but almost ephemeral. How would you interpret Rodin's choices in creating this portrait? Curator: Let's think about etching as a *process*. The labor, the acid, the plate, the paper… It’s not just about depicting Hugo’s likeness. Consider the rise of industrial printmaking at the time. What does it mean for Rodin to employ this reproductive technology, this process so linked to mass culture, to portray a figure of high culture like Victor Hugo? Editor: That’s a great point. It elevates the process. But why etching specifically, instead of, say, photography? Curator: Because the handmade element is still evident in the *tooling* of the plate. It mimics the look of drawing, retaining that artistic touch while using industrial means. This sits within larger social debates. It’s neither fully handcrafted nor mass-produced. Consider the role of skilled labor here. The etcher, the printer... these were often collaborative efforts, raising questions of authorship. Is it really "by Rodin"? How does labor define the value of art? Editor: So it's almost a statement about art in the age of mechanical reproduction, even if Rodin wasn't explicitly thinking that way. Curator: Precisely. It's impossible to separate the art object from the conditions of its production, its consumption, and the labor that went into it. These material processes inherently shape its meaning. Editor: That really reframes how I see this. I was focused on the image itself, but the *how* is equally important. Thanks, that gives me a lot to consider!