Twee prehistorische vuurstenen, gevonden in het stroomgebied van de Seine 1869

Curator: These lithographs from 1869, titled "Twee prehistorische vuurstenen, gevonden in het stroomgebied van de Seine"—"Two Prehistoric Flints, Found in the Seine River Basin"—offer an interesting, almost clinical depiction of ancient tools. I'm struck by the stark contrast. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: I find it fascinating that these ordinary rocks are presented with such formality. It elevates them somehow, turning rudimentary tools into objects worthy of artistic attention. How do you interpret this work in the context of its time? Curator: From a materialist perspective, this print forces us to consider the means of production, even when the 'artwork' itself predates what we conventionally understand as art. Consider the labor involved: the anonymous prehistoric hand that shaped the flint, the labor of the lithographer in recreating it, the paper-making, the printing press… All contribute to the aura this object acquires. Doesn't this presentation challenge the traditional boundaries between art and craft? Editor: It definitely does. It’s making me think about the societal structures involved in even finding and archiving something like this. What did it mean to document these objects in this way back in 1869? Curator: Precisely. The print becomes a vehicle for disseminating knowledge and shaping perceptions. How are these once-functional objects being transformed into commodities, artifacts of study and wonder, divorced from their original context of human survival and technological advancement? Editor: So, it's about observing the change in the flint itself— from a tool to an object to document? Curator: Yes, in that the value shifts from its function to its representation. The image encourages us to ponder not only prehistoric labor, but also the later labor of classifying, cataloging, and ultimately consuming the past through images like this. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't fully considered. I was focused on the contrast of "ordinary rock" and "formal art," but this dives into all the implications of it being art. Curator: Indeed. It’s a reminder that even depictions of seemingly simple objects can reveal complex networks of labor, materiality, and social value.