Plenty 18th century

This mezzotint print, called "Plenty," was made by an anonymous artist in either England or America, sometime in the 18th century. The image presents an allegorical figure who embodies abundance and fertility. The woman, elegantly dressed but in a simple way, holds a sheaf of wheat, a classical symbol for fruitful harvest. She leans on a decorative urn with a bird perched on top. The image creates meaning through these references to classical art, and the iconography of agriculture. It might seem to reinforce conservative ideals around class and gender. However, we can also consider the print as an artifact within the rise of consumer culture. Prints such as this one, sold inexpensively, democratized visual culture. They made images, once only available to the wealthiest classes, available to a wider audience. Understanding this image requires the work of the historian, consulting sources from economic data to family archives. The meaning of art shifts according to its changing social and institutional contexts.