Hab.t de Hapae, from the playing cards (for quartets) "Costumes des Peuples Étrangers" 18th century

Editor: Here we have an 18th-century etching with watercolor called "Hab.t de Hapae, from the playing cards (for quartets) 'Costumes des Peuples Étrangers.'" The scene feels almost like a dream, with a woman offering clouds to a seated figure under a sun with a human face. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It's fascinating to see how printmaking, often associated with mass production and accessibility, intersects with the craft of watercoloring in this piece. This immediately brings up questions of value and audience. Was this truly for 'playing', or did the hand-coloring elevate its status? Who was consuming images of "foreign peoples," and what labor went into both the etching and the coloring stages? Editor: So, it’s less about the 'costume' itself, and more about how that costume was produced, and who consumed the image? Curator: Exactly. The details – the specific inks used, the quality of the paper, even the distribution methods – all reveal a network of production and consumption. How did this image function within the broader context of European understanding and representation of different cultures? Was it intended for scientific observation, or for simple exotic entertainment? Editor: The details of its materiality really do open up a whole world of questions beyond the immediate image. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Indeed! Examining the materials and modes of production often leads to more critical and insightful readings of historical images.