Sir Joseph Banks c. 19th century

Editor: This is Eduard Kretzschmar’s portrait of Sir Joseph Banks, and it appears to be a print. The detail is stunning. What strikes you most about the production of this image? Curator: Consider the labor involved in creating this image, and the labor it represents. The steel plate engraving process enabled mass production and distribution. Who had access to these images and what social power did that represent? Editor: So, the means of production influenced who saw the art and what they thought? Curator: Precisely. The accessibility of this print shaped its reception and impact on popular perception. Think about the social context that facilitated or limited its circulation. Editor: I hadn’t considered the printmaking process as a form of social commentary itself. Curator: Examining the materiality and distribution opens up interesting questions about the consumption of images like these. Editor: Thank you, it’s fascinating to think about art as a product of its time and how it circulates within society.