Remember Normandy c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Otto Weber’s etching, “Remember Normandy,” from the Harvard Art Museums. I'm immediately struck by the detail in the landscape and the depiction of rural life. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Notice the texture achieved through the etching process. How does the labor involved in creating this print, a repeatable image, affect our understanding of the 'original' artwork? Does the act of production alter the relationship between the artist, the subject, and the consumer of the art? Editor: That's a really interesting point! I hadn't considered the impact of the printing process itself on the meaning of the image. Curator: Exactly! And think about how prints democratize art, making images accessible beyond the elite circles typically associated with art patronage. Editor: I guess I was too focused on the horses and the pastoral scene, and not enough on the means of its making and distribution! Curator: Considering art as a product of labor, rather than solely as an expression of genius, opens up new avenues for understanding its cultural significance.