Vijftien vogels before 1669

Editor: Here we have "Fifteen Birds," a pre-1669 engraving in ink by Henri Le Roy, currently at the Rijksmuseum. There’s something so delicate about the lines used to depict the various fowl, almost like a pen sketch. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, looking at this engraving, I'm drawn to the materials and processes at play. Consider the labour involved in creating such intricate detail with ink and engraving tools. It speaks volumes about the relationship between artist and craft. Think about the socio-economic implications: who had access to these prints? What role did this play in society? Editor: That’s a great point. I was mainly thinking about the birds themselves, but how would you interpret the material qualities in relation to, say, consumption or labour at the time? Curator: Consider that printmaking allowed for reproduction and wider distribution than paintings, democratizing access to imagery but also shifting its function. These bird illustrations could be functional—perhaps informing scientific study, or maybe they reflected elite consumption; bird imagery frequently appeared in tapestries or as decorative motifs in wealthy households. The material process and final print acted as vehicles for knowledge or status, becoming part of the cycle of consumption itself. Editor: So, you're saying it is not just a picture, but a commodity linked to the means of its production and social circulation? That totally changes how I see it. Curator: Precisely! Looking at the material of art helps reveal so much about its social life, even of what seems to be a simple print. What have you learned? Editor: I am seeing beyond the aesthetic qualities to the world of materials, labor and consumption. Thank you!