Orchids -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Editor: Here we see "Orchids," an illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting by Hu Zhengyan. It’s ink on paper, very simple but elegant. What do you see in terms of the material’s impact? Curator: I see the book as a commodity—its paper, ink, and printing blocks representing significant labor. The act of reproduction democratizes artmaking, moving away from unique creation toward mass production and consumption of imagery. Editor: So it's less about the individual artwork and more about its role in a larger system? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual, through its innovative printing techniques, made artistic knowledge accessible. It transformed artistic practice into a reproducible process. Does this change your perspective? Editor: It does. I was initially focused on the artistic skill, but now I see the work as part of a broader material culture. Curator: Indeed. Looking at the material reality transforms our understanding.