Much Reduced Study of Distant Effect of Veronese's Picture of "The Family of Darium at the Feet of Alexander," in the National Gallery 1878

Editor: This is Charles Herbert's "Much Reduced Study of Distant Effect of Veronese's Picture of 'The Family of Darius at the Feet of Alexander'", currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a watercolor study, mimicking a much larger history painting. What strikes you about this reproduction? Curator: Considering Herbert’s choice to reproduce Veronese, we must think about what it means to *copy*. What social relations of art production are at play here? Is this for study, consumption, or something else? Editor: That's interesting. So, the act of reproducing itself is a commentary? Curator: Precisely. It raises questions about access, skill, labor, and the hierarchy of artistic practices at the time. We must consider how materials and techniques were valued differently. Editor: I see. It’s more than just a copy, it's a statement. Thanks for showing me that!