Second Book: Goats, Second Plate (Chevreux, deuxieme planche) Possibly 1937

Editor: This is Aristide Maillol's "Second Book: Goats, Second Plate," possibly from 1937. It's an ink drawing, a print depicting three goats in simple lines. They're charmingly rustic. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: This print draws attention to the act of production. Look at the paper, the visible weave suggests its origins. Then consider the line itself. Is it economical, yet conveys form. Maillol wasn't simply depicting goats; he was engaging with the lineage of printmaking as a means of mass production and information. Think of the printing press and the broader social context of readily available imagery. What does this imply about its place? Editor: I see what you mean about the weave, and how the simple ink drawing makes the goat more 'goat-like'. Is this an attempt to represent the animal without idealizing them? Curator: Exactly. And by showing us the means of its making, we have to consider this not just as "art," but also as object. How does the availability of the image, its reproducibility, alter its value? Think about it--how does cheap, mass-produced art affect cultural consumption and accessibility versus unique objects? Editor: So, instead of focusing on what the artwork is 'about,' we think about how the materials used to make it carry their own social significance. This simple print encourages viewers to consider the commodification and consumption of art itself. Curator: Precisely! We tend to separate 'art' from everyday materials, and craftmanship with mass manufacturing, but seeing them interconnected complicates the issue of value, making the 'cheap' valuable and the 'unique' available for discussion and broader interpretation. Editor: That definitely gives me a different perspective on what seems, at first glance, a simple sketch. Thanks!