A Game of Backgammon c. 18th century

Editor: This is "A Game of Backgammon" by Jacques Firmin Beauvarlet, an engraving. The scene feels intimate, almost secretive. What can you tell me about the materials and production of this print? Curator: Consider the copperplate engraving process. The labor, the tools, the consumption of materials like ink and paper. This wasn't merely reproducing an image; it was crafting a commodity for a specific social class. What does the inscription suggest about the context of its creation and circulation? Editor: It was made to be sold from the Cabinet de M'le de Vince.. So, it was meant for the upper class. I hadn't thought about the print itself being a commodity. Curator: Precisely! The print is less about the ‘game’ and more about access, consumption, and the system of artistic production during that period. How does that understanding shift your perception? Editor: It does make me reconsider the art and craft involved.