Boog van Janus en San Giorgio in Velabro 1680

Editor: This engraving, "Boog van Janus en San Giorgio in Velabro," made around 1680, shows a cityscape. The contrast between the detailed architecture and the stark background is compelling. How can we interpret this work through the lens of its material and production? Curator: This piece speaks volumes about the labor involved in printmaking at the time, and how such processes made images accessible. Consider the social context: engravings like this democratized art. Before photography, how else could everyday people 'own' a cityscape? The material, the very paper it's printed on, facilitated the spread of information. Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about the paper itself as playing such a significant role. What about the architectural subject matter? How does that figure into a materialist perspective? Curator: Architecture represents the built environment – literally, materialized power structures and social orders. Note the contrasting conditions, from ruin to seemingly vital church; materials reflecting a state of social and physical repair over time. And engravings made those tangible markers – architecture – available for study. Look at how this piece translates monumental buildings for mass consumption through skilled labor and technology. Editor: So, the means of production – engraving – combined with the subject matter – architecture – give us insight into society and accessibility? Curator: Exactly! It challenges traditional art historical narratives which too often sideline craft and technical art production by underlining labor, consumption and, especially, materiality. It shows how dissemination impacts perception. Editor: I never considered it that way. The connection between process, material, and social impact provides a new lens. Curator: Thinking materially reveals how objects participate in power relations and everyday experiences. Editor: This makes me wonder what we would discover when applying the Materialist's lens to a photograph... Thank you!