Torre Di San Pancrazio 1895

Giuseppe Barberis made this print of the Torre Di San Pancrazio using etching, a process rooted in craft traditions. Barberis carefully rendered the texture and form of the ancient tower with a series of tiny lines. The etched line is quite egalitarian, capable of describing both monumental architecture and wispy clouds with equal ease. This printmaking technique, and its reliance on the multiple, gives a broader audience access to the image. Consider the social context. A work like this circulates within a culture of tourism, and a growing middle class with leisure time to explore cultural landmarks. It is not necessarily 'high' art. Instead, it caters to popular tastes for scenic views and historical sites. Barberis's print reminds us that even seemingly straightforward depictions of architecture are enmeshed in wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By emphasizing materials, making, and context, we challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.