Good-bye, Baby Bunting, engraved by Edmund Evans 

Curator: Here we have Randolph Caldecott’s "Good-bye, Baby Bunting," engraved by Edmund Evans. It's a small engraving, part of the Tate Collections. There is no date listed. It depicts a man on horseback with a rifle. Editor: It feels like a scene ripped from a children's storybook. The man, the horse, the dog, and even the birds overhead, all seem full of purpose, off on some grand adventure. Curator: The engraving technique allows for very fine lines, creating texture and detail, especially in the horse's mane and the man's clothing. It demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of printmaking for mass consumption. Editor: Note the rifle. It's a phallic symbol, asserting dominance over nature. The birds escaping could symbolize lost innocence or freedom. It's almost a parody of power. Curator: Interesting to consider the image in relation to the nursery rhyme, which is about bartering animal skins. The engraving highlights the labor of hunting, transforming something wild into a commodity. Editor: A commodity, perhaps. But the image speaks to a deeper, more primal narrative about man’s relationship with the wild, using symbols that resonate even today. Curator: Well, it's certainly given us much to consider about craftsmanship, labor, and visual storytelling. Editor: Indeed, a surprisingly rich image for something seemingly so simple.