Veronica A Breakfast Conversation, from Boswell's Tour of the Hebrides 1786

Editor: Here we have Thomas Rowlandson’s “Veronica A Breakfast Conversation, from Boswell’s Tour of the Hebrides,” an etching from 1786, rendered in ink on paper. It's busy and feels very satirical. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: I see a detailed depiction of the material culture of the late 18th century – the clothing, the furniture, the serving ware – all products of specific industries and social relations. The etching medium itself is interesting. What kind of labor would be required to produce so many copies for mass distribution? Editor: So you're thinking about how this image reached its audience? Curator: Exactly. And consider the social context: Rowlandson critiques the leisure class enjoying breakfast. This work’s material existence allowed for the dissemination of such a critique, potentially impacting public opinion on wealth and class differences. The image's availability challenged existing societal structures. Editor: That makes me think about the print as a commodity, too, something being bought and sold that depicts a very specific social scene. Curator: Precisely! Etchings democratized art but were also part of a burgeoning market. Who purchased these prints, and what did that say about their own social standing and aspirations? Furthermore, who benefits, who suffers? I also wonder about the source of the ink for example. Where did it originate, and what was its cost and the environmental implications of producing such material at the time? These all tie into power structures. Editor: Thinking about the materials and how it got made definitely opens up a different way of looking at art! Curator: Indeed! It encourages us to consider art not just as aesthetic objects, but as products of a complex web of labor, resources, and social relations.