Sancho's dinner at the Island of Barataria 1781

Editor: This is Augustin de Saint-Aubin's "Sancho's dinner at the Island of Barataria." It's quite small, an engraving really, but it depicts a lavish scene. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating representation of power dynamics. This engraving, made through a repeatable process, makes a statement about labor and consumption in 18th-century society. How does the act of reproducing this image affect its value and accessibility, relative to the scene it depicts? Editor: That's an interesting way to look at it; I hadn't considered the means of production itself as a commentary. Curator: Exactly! It prompts us to consider the cultural context that led to its creation. Editor: I'll definitely keep that in mind going forward.