Andromeda and Perseus, after antiquity c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have "Andromeda and Perseus, after antiquity" by the Pichler family. It's incredibly small, only a few centimeters! I am struck by how they managed to carve it. What can you tell me about the material aspect of this piece? Curator: The intaglio reveals the labor involved in its creation. Consider the tools, the process of grinding and polishing such a hard stone, and the artisanal skill embedded in this practice of reproduction. How does its status as a copy influence its perceived value? Editor: It’s interesting to think about value in terms of the labor involved, rather than just its uniqueness. I never considered it that way! Curator: Precisely. And how does the act of collecting and displaying such an object speak to social status and consumption? These miniature worlds held significant cultural weight.