Wijnmakers 1675

Curator: Before us, we have Conrad Meyer's "Wijnmakers," created around 1675. It's a print, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. When I first saw it, it whispered tales of harvests and quiet industry. The fine lines of the engraving are quite astonishing. Editor: Quiet is not the word that comes to mind. The crosshatching, the dense activity...It’s practically buzzing with labor! Look at the figures toiling amidst the vines; this piece is absolutely rooted in the physical processes of making. I see labor and materiality immediately. Curator: Indeed. One figure is literally hauling a vat of grapes while another is minding a wooden cask that could just as well be the first stage in a baroque contraption! The overall aesthetic places this nicely within the Baroque period but I sense it nods towards genre painting as well— everyday people depicted with skill. Editor: Exactly! And it begs the question: where did Meyer learn these techniques? What kind of tools and materials were available to create such precise, reproducible images? The economic system surrounding its making would interest me the most, especially where print making blurs the distinction between art and craft. It's fascinating how an engraving of vintners brings up conversations around materials and making processes! Curator: It’s an intriguing snapshot, a moment frozen in time by someone who clearly loved landscapes but probably romanticized the labor too. There is a rather dream-like haze overall. It’s historical with almost ethereal strokes. Editor: I tend to disagree. It's real; sweat and effort is imprinted into the narrative, deeply intertwined with the landscape it seeks to represent. I feel this is a representation of work. A meditation on what is produced when it happens! Curator: A truly stimulating juxtaposition and reminder of just how art speaks differently to each of us. Editor: Agreed, these "Wijnmakers" give so much to contemplate when considering how labor, material and craft, mix.