Old Woman 

Editor: This intriguing print, “Old Woman” by Edvard Munch, created using etching and charcoal, strikes me with its rough texture and somewhat haunting depiction. What elements stand out to you? Curator: It's the sheer physicality of the piece that grabs me. The etching process itself, the labor involved in scoring the plate, the biting of the acid, the pulling of the print - it speaks to a very material engagement. What kind of social and historical work was etching engaged in at the time? Was Munch deliberately subverting the commercial logic? Editor: I see what you mean about the materiality of its production. Given the choice of subject matter - an old woman - was the laborious printmaking process a political choice for Munch? Curator: Precisely! Consider the means of production available at the time, particularly for printmaking. Etchings could be widely distributed. But notice how Munch deviates from purely reproductive printmaking practices. Why employ the medium, if not to multiply this image far and wide? The social critique embedded within this choice, to distribute images of working class or aged women...was this meant to highlight societal inequalities in visibility? Editor: It’s almost as if the labor-intensive technique mirrors the life experience of the subject. That is very insightful. So we should think not only of the artwork as a static image, but its production and circulation of as well? Curator: Exactly! The method *is* the message, and its implications ripple outward into questions of labor, value, and visibility. It's also crucial to remember that production occurs within very particular cultural moments. We might see it as an embrace of a certain class, as well, perhaps of his family’s domestic laborers. Editor: I'm starting to see how understanding the medium helps decode the message and makes the artwork resonate with its historical moment and also our own contemporary world. I have so much to think about. Curator: Indeed. This kind of analysis challenges our notions of artistry itself: instead of an inspired genius, Munch here engages the physical and societal resources available.