Tête de Viellard Chauve c. 17th century

Editor: So this is Stefano della Bella’s “Tête de Viellard Chauve,” an etching from around the 17th century. The detail achieved with just etching is really striking. How do you see this piece, thinking about its materiality? Curator: It's intriguing to consider how the Baroque era’s taste for opulence translated into printmaking. The etching process itself – the acid biting into the metal plate, the labor involved in creating and distributing multiple impressions – all speaks to a fascinating tension. The technology democratized art to some degree. What does it mean to have images of this kind circulating more widely? Editor: That's interesting. So the choice of etching enabled more access, potentially broadening the audience for portraiture like this. Do you see a social dimension to the subject of the portrait itself? Curator: Absolutely. The “bald old man” is rendered with impressive skill, no doubt, but the availability of etched copies raises questions about artistic labor and value. Was the intention to elevate the sitter or provide access to a likeness that could be traded? What level of society was intended to be targeted when producing those prints, do you think? Editor: Maybe to offer affordable art for a growing middle class? I hadn’t considered the economics behind printmaking like this before. Curator: Exactly! It moves us away from simply admiring the virtuosity of the line and encourages us to think about art as a product of its time, influenced by social and economic forces. We tend to separate craft from fine art. Editor: That makes so much sense. Now I'm curious about other prints from this time and the role they played in disseminating images and ideas. Curator: See, the artwork and art object go hand in hand, it is all connected!