Omslag voor 35 prenten door Daniel Chodowiecki Possibly 1758 - 1921

Curator: Soothing isn’t it? Like staring up at a pale sky, fading. Editor: I'm looking at the "Omslag voor 35 prenten door Daniel Chodowiecki", that translates to "Cover for 35 prints by Daniel Chodowiecki". It's held here in the Rijksmuseum. It seems to have been made sometime between 1758 and 1921. Curator: The colour, almost celadon, that textured surface… reminds me of old linen, perhaps. You know, the kind that grandmothers used to embroider on. Editor: That's the materiality showing through, isn't it? This object isn't just a visual piece; it's intrinsically tied to processes, materials, and even labor, both in its original creation, with the paper manufacturing and the craftspersonship evident in the engravings. Plus its function of encasing and protecting art. Curator: I see it less materially. More…as a dream waiting to be unfolded. The lettering is gorgeous, simple cursive really anchors it. Editor: The text oval could act like a seal— a maker's mark or printer's logo that was intended to not only identify but to give value. Chodowiecki produced prolifically. To have a unifying presentation could imply some serious distribution, perhaps altering the economics of image ownership for middle-class consumption. Curator: I never considered how that signature style made art available—democratized, you might say. But back to that colour— it speaks to something tender within, perhaps? The hint of stories or forgotten poems it protects? Editor: I think it's less about emotion and more about the economics of printmaking—how printed portraits were created and consumed as a social practice. Think about what resources are accessible, to who and how is art consumed? Who is his audience? That context explains how it all hangs together for me. Curator: It's quite evocative that so much meaning and even labour is imprinted onto something seemingly quite gentle. Like layers, perhaps it hints at what makes a person, too. Editor: Indeed, the convergence of craft and context creates something that feels both accessible and historically grounded. A true encapsulation.