Appelschillende vrouw 1861 - 1889

Editor: Here we have "Appelschillende vrouw," or "Woman Peeling Apples," made sometime between 1861 and 1889. It's a print, an engraving, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The image is stark and seems to document such a mundane scene in a serious way. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: The labor, clearly. Notice how the medium, the engraving, replicates the careful, repetitive work of peeling apples. Consider the cultural context. What does it say about domestic work being elevated – or perhaps exploited – as a subject for art? It's not just a 'scene,' it’s a depiction of production, isn't it? The hand, the apple, the knife, each meticulously rendered… Editor: So, you're seeing the materials and labor embedded not just in the scene, but in the artistic process itself. Curator: Exactly. The choice of engraving isn't arbitrary. It speaks to reproduction, accessibility. Prints democratized images. Who was this made for, and what does that tell us about art consumption during this period? What kind of paper, ink, and plates did William Unger choose to reproduce the image? Did he use steel-facing, a method which enhanced the printing plate, or more conventional material such as copper? This tells us much about the status and reach of his art. Editor: It's fascinating to consider the process mirroring the subject. It adds a layer I hadn’t considered before. What is suggested when this labor and technique can be infinitely produced and consumed? Curator: Precisely! Think about the relationship between high art and the kind of reproductive labor evident in printing, the art’s own consumption! Editor: Thanks for showing how to think about art from a materialist perspective. It offers an entirely new way to engage. Curator: It’s about understanding art as enmeshed in its material and social conditions. I will ask, do you consume apples at an alarming rate now?