Achilles vents his rage on Hector 1766

Editor: This print, "Achilles vents his rage on Hector," by Domenico Cunego, depicts a brutal scene. Hector’s body is so vulnerable under the wheels of Achilles’ chariot. What can you tell me about the materials and the making of this artwork? Curator: Considering the printmaking process itself—the labor involved in etching and engraving, the physical act of transferring an image—how does that contribute to the story's intensity? The reproduction allows this image to be widely disseminated. How does that mass production affect its impact? Editor: That's a great point about the distribution. So the act of creating and distributing the print becomes a part of interpreting the rage itself? Curator: Precisely. The material transformation mirrors the transformation of Hector's body and the rage that fuels it. Thinking about the paper, the ink, the press – these aren't neutral; they're active participants in the narrative. Editor: That really makes me reconsider the whole scene. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Thinking about the materiality really opens up new perspectives.