The Flagellation of Christ (recto); Madonna and Child and Unrelated Figure Studies (verso) 1600 - 1700

Editor: Here we have an anonymous drawing from the 17th century, "The Flagellation of Christ," rendered in ink. There's a brutality to the scene that’s heightened by the looseness of the drawing. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Considering this drawing from a materialist perspective, I find the rapid strokes interesting. They suggest a study, perhaps a practice piece. What paper was available? What kind of ink was accessible, and how did that affect the artist's process? Was this preliminary, part of a larger workshop production system? Editor: That’s interesting, because I immediately focused on the finality of the drawing and its depiction of such violence. I never thought about its making. Curator: Well, think about the social context. Who was consuming images like this and what was the mode of their dissemination? The material conditions under which it was created influenced its form and, potentially, its reception. Was this for an individual’s contemplation or intended for wider distribution as a print perhaps? The question then becomes, how did the printmaking process further transform or dilute the artist's original intent and its associated labor? Editor: I see, the process of reproduction itself becomes part of the analysis. So, it’s less about individual genius and more about the chain of production and the intended audience's economic means? Curator: Precisely! The act of creation here extends beyond the hand of a single “artist.” By understanding these factors, we reveal social power relations in a very telling way. Editor: It really shifts how I see it – less as a depiction of religious suffering and more as an object circulating within a specific economic and social system. Thanks! Curator: Glad I could help you consider the broader picture beyond the pure, visual qualities!