En rose 1740s

Curator: Ah, this delicate etching really captures a certain *something*, doesn’t it? The artwork is "En rose" by Michael Fosie, dating back to the 1740s. It's part of the collection here at the SMK. Editor: It’s beautiful, yes, but also surprisingly intense! The dark lines really give it weight. There's a tension between the softness we associate with flowers and the almost aggressive lines. I wonder, was the print media a response to a lack of ability to commission art, or to simply democratise consumption? Curator: That’s an interesting observation! Michael Fosie, in his role as engraver, translated an experience—the beauty of a rose—into a tangible commodity for the masses, you’re right. Though the sharp lines probably came down to precision needed to reproduce an artwork en masse! I imagine, a kind of technical necessity that created aesthetic, in effect. Do you think people cared about the artist? Or were they simply charmed by the natural motif, reproduced? Editor: Certainly. What I like here is the materiality – the etching and engraving process itself. The choice of this medium meant this artwork could reach a wider audience, moving it beyond the sphere of bespoke artworks, but even considering labour and resources needed for print...It shows that access isn’t easy even then. Curator: I think that's where the "en rose" really strikes me. Yes, on the surface, it's a botanical study, almost scientific. But look at the curl of the petals, the almost aggressive shading…it's about capturing the *essence* of the flower. Fosie sees something in that bloom beyond just a pretty picture; he feels it, perhaps as this commodity circulating…the idea and meaning travelling everywhere. Editor: The linear quality emphasizes process, don't you think? It exposes the meticulous craft that underpins even the most seemingly spontaneous artistic expression. So even in the age of realism, one can appreciate labour, effort. Curator: Absolutely! It makes one think of a certain rose from "The Little Prince." It might *appear* simple, yet all those lines are there to say so much and hold up and even project so much emotion. Editor: Indeed! It transforms into something new – still rooted in nature, but imbued with social life of baroque era.. Curator: Well, what a fruitful way to look at it! Makes me want to visit a garden or browse a shop.