Mithras doodt een heilige stier 1564 - 1622

Editor: This pen-and-ink drawing, titled "Mithras Killing the Sacred Bull," dates back to somewhere between 1564 and 1622, attributed to an anonymous artist. It looks like a page torn straight from a sketchbook. The details are incredible. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: I see the labor involved in its production. The meticulous, repetitive marks of the pen, building up the image line by line, suggest a culture of artisanal production. This wasn’t just about illustrating a story; it was about demonstrating skill and control of the material, in this case, ink and paper. Where was this sketchbook likely produced, do you think? Editor: Considering the style, maybe somewhere in Europe? But what makes this different from just any illustration of a story? Curator: Precisely. Look at the quality of the paper itself. It isn’t just a blank slate. It has a “toned” quality to it, likely a deliberate choice reflecting the material’s value. This piece asks us to think about the accessibility of materials. Was this a common or precious commodity? The intended audience, their economic standing and consumption habits – all of it informs how we understand this work. Editor: So, it's not only about the image, but about who had access to art materials? Curator: Exactly. And what that access *meant* for how art was made and received. This wasn’t necessarily fine art hanging in a gallery. This could have been a teaching aid, a personal reflection, or something else. Understanding the material circumstances of its creation offers a really different avenue of inquiry than simply knowing the myth it depicts. Editor: I see what you mean! I guess analyzing it materially really opens up a whole new perspective about art creation back then. I’ll keep that in mind for future works. Curator: Excellent. By thinking critically about material conditions and artisanal processes, we challenge our conventional understanding of “art.”