An allegory in honor of the arrival of Cardinal Franciotti as Bishop of Lucca 1600 - 1650

Editor: So, we’re looking at Pietro Testa’s engraving, “An Allegory in Honor of the Arrival of Cardinal Franciotti as Bishop of Lucca," from the mid-17th century. There is an overwhelming amount of figures, which gives it a sort of chaotic feel, but the longer I look, the more I feel I’m beginning to see a narrative unfolding. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: It’s important to recognize this engraving not as an isolated aesthetic object, but as a commodity produced within a specific socio-economic context. The meticulousness of the engraving process – consider the labour and time involved. How do the materials employed contribute to or challenge prevailing notions of ‘high art’ versus craft? Is this intended for mass distribution? And what does the allegory reveal about the patronage system at the time, who might have been commissioning such works? Editor: That’s a really interesting angle. I was thinking more about the content of the allegory itself, but now I’m considering the materiality and production. Does the medium of print democratize art to a degree by making it more easily accessible to the masses? Curator: Precisely. The choice of engraving has implications for how we understand the work’s role within a larger network of cultural production and consumption. Furthermore, we should think about its relation to the printing industry itself: How does the physical labor of the engraver impact the imagery they create and their lived experience, particularly relative to their access of consumption to the objects? Editor: I never really considered engravings in terms of labour before. I guess I was so focused on symbolism, but now I understand the work from a new perspective, focusing on material production. Curator: And that shift in perspective opens new avenues for interpreting the artist’s statement and the work's enduring legacy.