Reuk 1590 - 1632

Editor: Here we have Pieter de Jode I's "Reuk," an engraving from sometime between 1590 and 1632. The composition is quite intriguing, with these figures interacting in a landscape, almost staged. What draws your eye to this piece? Curator: For me, it’s about how this print manifests early modern notions of sensory experience. The means of production – the very act of engraving, creating lines on a copper plate and distributing multiple impressions – it's a process of manufacturing both images and, by extension, ideas. Editor: I see what you mean! The print *is* the medium by which this allegory of smell is distributed. Curator: Exactly. Think about the materiality of the print itself. It's ink on paper, humble materials that are elevated to convey this concept of ‘Reuk’ or Smell. The social context is key too; prints like this circulated widely, disseminating not only art but also scientific and philosophical ideas about the senses. How might this relatively affordable print challenge the boundaries between elite and popular consumption of art? Editor: So it democratizes this idea of smell? It makes it more accessible? Curator: Precisely. And it asks us to think about who has access to such luxuries, or the understanding of this kind of allegory. How is ‘smell’ being packaged and sold, not necessarily literally, but ideologically? What is considered a ‘refined’ olfactory experience versus a vulgar one? Editor: That's a fascinating angle. I hadn't considered the socio-economic implications embedded within a seemingly straightforward allegorical print. I guess it's about more than just pretty flowers! Curator: Indeed. It reveals the subtle power structures at play in the art market of the period, and how materiality plays a pivotal role in understanding its messages.