Tubalcain 16th-17th century

Curator: Here we have Johann Sadeler's engraving, Tubalcain. What strikes me first is the sheer amount of activity depicted. It's like a bustling, miniature world captured in ink. Editor: Absolutely, it’s a snapshot of early industrial life, but also a celebration of labor—though, who benefits from it? We see Tubalcain, the biblical figure, forging metal, but it’s critical to ask: whose backs were these societies built on? Curator: Well, I get a real sense of the artist delighting in the textures, from the rough-hewn buildings to the craggy mountains in the background. There's a lightheartedness here, like watching a charming play. Editor: Perhaps, but that charm can obscure a more complex reality. The print romanticizes labor, while the actual lived experiences were likely far from idyllic, particularly for those marginalized or enslaved. Curator: True. And yet, I find myself drawn to the human element—the way Sadeler captures the energy of creation, the sheer ingenuity of it all. Editor: And it’s important to remember, that ingenuity came at a cost to both people and the Earth. It is a reminder that progress is not an unmitigated good.