Hilas c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have A. Claude Philippe de Thubières comte de Caylus’s print, "Hilas." The cross-hatching creates a fascinating texture. What can you tell me about its creation? Curator: The intaglio printmaking process itself is key. Consider the labor involved in etching each line into the metal plate, a repetitive process indicative of early production methods, before mass printing. Editor: So the artistic value comes from the work and materiality rather than just the image? Curator: Exactly. It shifts our focus from the final image to the means of its production, reminding us of the artist’s hand and the socio-economic context of art-making. What does that mean to you? Editor: That's so interesting; I never considered that! I'm starting to see how the art's value exists in the labor and time involved in making the piece. Curator: Precisely, and that informs how we should think about art.