She gathers the fairest flower (Il più bel fior ne coglie), a group of six putti working together in an arched workshop 1740s - 1750s

Editor: Here we have "She gathers the fairest flower", or "Il più bel fior ne coglie," an engraving by Carlo Gregori, dating back to the mid-18th century. I'm struck by its intricate detail and the almost playful depiction of labor. These cherubic figures seem so busy! What story do you think this print is telling? Curator: Oh, I love that you call it playful! To me, this is a whimsical allegory, perhaps depicting the distillation of something precious. The putti, these little cherubs, are clearly engaged in a process, turning a mill, gathering what looks like grain... and there's a sense of organized chaos to it all. Look at the contrast between their delicate forms and the industrial nature of the equipment. Do you think they're happy laborers or forced ones? Editor: That's a fascinating point. Forced labor hadn't occurred to me with the putti all being angelic and so carefree. I guess it does prompt questions about exploitation, even in an allegorical context. What’s the flower, or finest flower, they’re gathering in your opinion? Curator: Ah, the million-dollar question! Perhaps it's the distillation of youthful beauty, or maybe even an allegorical nod to the creation of perfume. These engravers loved encoding messages! Perhaps the most intriguing is asking yourself, if you had to assign labor to emotions or characteristics, which would you assign where? Editor: I see, like matching tasks to traits – that's an interesting way to consider it. Now I feel like I need to spend some more time just letting my imagination wander through all those details. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. And you know, sometimes the not knowing is precisely where the richest understanding of a work truly lies!