Hurdy-Gurdy Player 1771

Editor: Here we have Jean Jacques de Boissieu's "Hurdy-Gurdy Player". The etching work is incredible. What strikes me is the detail in the instrument itself. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Notice how Boissieu renders the hurdy-gurdy. The labor, the craftsmanship, the specificities of its making—all contribute meaning. Consider the social context. Who made such instruments? Who consumed their music? How does this relate to high art? Editor: So you’re saying the value isn’t just in the image, but the implied production? Curator: Precisely. The etching process itself—the materials, the labour—mirrors the craft of instrument making. Both are forms of production, contributing to a cultural ecosystem. Editor: That shifts my perspective. I was so focused on the figure. Curator: Thinking about materiality opens up interpretations beyond just the surface representation.