Salcombe, Devonshire 1824

Editor: Here we have William Collins' "Salcombe, Devonshire." It's a serene scene, but I'm curious about the process of creating it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Let's consider the means of production. This print speaks to the industrialization of art. The labor involved in creating these prints, how they were circulated, and consumed by a growing middle class tells us much about the period. What kind of impact did it have? Editor: I never considered that. So, it's less about the picturesque scene itself, and more about the social context of its creation and distribution? Curator: Precisely! The materiality of the print itself—the paper, the ink, the engraving—and the labor that went into it, these are all crucial elements. It is a reflection of its time. Editor: That shifts my perspective entirely. Thanks!