Via dei Cavalieri 1886

Editor: So, here we have Telemaco Signorini's "Via dei Cavalieri" from 1886, an etching printed on paper. The scene is an Italian alleyway, and it strikes me as incredibly gritty. All that precise work to render the worn stone and shadow... What’s your perspective? Curator: Gritty is a great way to put it. As a materialist, I see an etching and immediately consider the labour involved. Think of the copper plate itself: its sourcing, preparation, the craftsman who likely made it, maybe not even for artistic purposes originally. Signorini then manipulates this material with acids to create the image. This wasn't simply about depicting a street, but transforming industrial materials into something else. Do you see how the very *process* of its making reflects the changing social landscape of 19th century Italy? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn't considered the industrial side. So, are you saying that by choosing etching, Signorini comments on labour, maybe even criticizes the growing divide between traditional craft and mass production? Curator: Precisely! The etching needle, used almost like a pen, captures this dance between mechanization and artistic intention. It is crucial to acknowledge the role materials have when examining any work of art; consider how industrialization and class dynamics impact his artistic choice. What meaning is produced as a result of Signorini’s method? Editor: This reframes how I see etchings. It's no longer *just* an image but a record of a particular type of labour and its social context! Curator: Exactly! Examining the materials and methods invites us to reconsider the established art historical categories of “high” and “low,” or "art" and "craft." Editor: Wow, thanks for helping me look at this in a completely new light! Curator: My pleasure. Remembering materiality is always key.