Horrors of the Irish-Union; - Botheration of the poor Pat-or-a Whisper across the Channel. 1798

Editor: This is "Horrors of the Irish-Union; - Botheration of the poor Pat-or-a Whisper across the Channel." It’s a print by James Gillray. I'm struck by the sharp contrast between the opulence on one side and the poverty on the other. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I notice Gillray's focus on the means of production. The image itself, a mass-produced print, comments on the consumption of political ideas. Consider the labor involved in its creation, from the engraver to the distributors. How does that materiality influence its reception? Editor: So, you’re saying the print itself is part of the political landscape it depicts? Curator: Precisely! The materials used, the printing process, even the paper it's on, all contributed to its circulation and impact. The satirical content is inseparable from its material form. The economic underpinnings are visible in the production of the print itself. Editor: That's a really different way of thinking about it. I'll have to consider the means of production more when looking at art.