Towage Horses c. 19th century

Curator: Amédée Besnus's "Towage Horses" appears to be an etching, given the fineness of the lines and the tonal variation. It seems to depict working animals in a moment of pause. Editor: There's a quiet dignity here, a sense of place and the lives intertwined with it. What can you tell me about the making of this piece? Curator: The hatching and cross-hatching suggest a deliberate layering of lines to build up shadows, adding depth to a two-dimensional surface. The choice of etching as a medium speaks to the printmaker's craft. Editor: I see in the stoic horses, the posture of the driver, and even in the presence of the chicken a commentary on rural labor and its relationship to the land. The sign behind them is the only explicit point of place. Curator: Indeed. The printmaking process allows for the democratization of the image, making it accessible to a broader audience beyond the elite. Editor: The image evokes a bygone era, a tangible connection to the labor upon which society depends. It prompts us to consider the lives of people and animals often overlooked. Curator: A reminder to look at the material conditions of artistic production and reception, and consider the hands that shaped the image. Editor: Precisely, it’s a reminder that art is not divorced from the realities of everyday life.