Hoekcartouche met mascaron en schaalstok 1595

Editor: This intriguing engraving from 1595, titled "Hoekcartouche met mascaron en schaalstok," is held at the Rijksmuseum, and is by an anonymous artist. It has such intricate lines for something so small; I can barely see it properly! I’m struck by the mix of the decorative cartouche elements combined with what looks like part of a map... What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, let's consider the materials and the making first. This engraving, reproduced as a print, democratizes image production in a way previously unseen. The availability of printed maps with decorative elements transforms geographical knowledge into a commodity, accessible beyond the elite. Editor: A commodity? That’s interesting! How does the “labor” you mention play into it, when it comes to printing? Curator: Exactly! Think of the artisan, perhaps multiple artisans, involved in the repeatable execution of these images. This work wasn’t about unique artistry, but about the skillful application of technique. Consider also how prints might circulate. They enter the network of commerce and consumption. And the ‘waste’ involved – the imperfect prints or damaged plates, they become part of a material history. Editor: So you're saying that the print isn't just a picture; it's evidence of all the steps it took to produce it and share it? Curator: Precisely! By examining the materials and production, we see the print not just as an aesthetic object, but as a tangible representation of early modern industry and expanding markets. It challenges us to question traditional ideas about the value of "art" versus craft and its social impact through wider access to geographic knowledge. Editor: That definitely changes how I look at this. Thank you, I appreciate you shedding light on that. I’ll never see prints the same way again. Curator: Nor will I! It always gives a new view point on historical art, to question why things were done and how.