Satyr Sitting Under an Old Oak 18th-19th century

Editor: This is Carl Wilhelm Kolbe's "Satyr Sitting Under an Old Oak." The details in the etching, especially the leaves of the tree, are quite impressive. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Let's consider the materiality. Kolbe's choice of etching, a readily reproducible medium, suggests a democratizing impulse. How does the depiction of nature, combined with a mythological figure, reflect contemporary ideas about labor and land use? Editor: That’s an interesting perspective. I hadn't considered the etching itself as a choice reflecting social ideas. Thanks! Curator: Consider also the materials used to create the print, the engraver's labor... food for thought, isn't it?