Time clipping the wings of love c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have James McArdell's "Time clipping the wings of love." It's a somber print featuring Time, a winged, elderly figure, restraining Cupid. What strikes me is the use of light and shadow, highlighting the textures. What stands out to you? Curator: Note the scissors, the method of deconstruction. McArdell utilized mezzotint, a tonal method achieved by roughening the plate for rich blacks. It's a reproductive print, dependent on labor. The process, the making, and the image itself denote a certain consumption, wouldn't you say? Editor: Consumption as in… the consumption of love and time? Curator: And artistic labor. The print's value lies not just in the image but in the intense, skilled labor required for its production and distribution. Is it high art or a commodity? Editor: That's a fascinating way to look at it; the materials really shape the message. Curator: Exactly! And how it circulates in the world, shaping its meaning.