Vaas met deksel, slangen als ornament 1764

Editor: Here we have Benigno Bossi's "Vaas met deksel, slangen als ornament" from 1764. It’s a drawing, seemingly an engraving on paper, depicting a vase with snakes as ornamentation. I'm really drawn to the contrast between the smooth, geometric vase form and the more ornate, naturalistic snakes. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What's fascinating to me is to consider the labor and the material context inherent in producing something like this. An engraving, while appearing refined, relies heavily on skilled craft. Consider the artist, Bossi: he’s not just creating art; he's participating in a system of production where skill equals value, and where the reproductive nature of engraving potentially democratizes access to imagery usually reserved for the wealthy. Editor: That’s a great point! So, the material and method affect the audience as much as the patron? Curator: Precisely. Neoclassicism itself was a conscious effort. They turned to classical forms – vase shapes like this – but it was still being produced within very specific economic and social circumstances. Ask yourself: what kind of paper is it? Was it mass-produced, and where? These details illuminate how the image circulated and who consumed it. Think about the symbolic weight of those snakes, and who gets to access that symbolism through this specific mode of reproduction. Editor: So, even what appears to be a straightforward image of a vase tells us a story about labor, materials, and the market for art in the 18th century? Curator: Exactly! The act of making art is interwoven with so many other processes. Editor: That really reframes how I see the object. I never considered how the process itself held so much significance. Thank you!