Triumphal arch, from 'Éloges et discours sur la triomphante réception du Roy en sa ville de Paris ...' by Jean-Baptiste de Machault 1629

Curator: This is an engraving by Melchior Tavernier, dating from 1629. It depicts a Triumphal Arch, and it's believed to be part of a series documenting the ceremonial reception of the King in Paris. Editor: It strikes me as wonderfully grandiose, yet precise. The density of detail, rendered purely through line, is quite impressive. I am also stuck by the ocean theme at the top juxtaposed against the geometric order of the architecture, which produces a kind of organized chaos, don’t you think? Curator: Indeed, the visual language speaks of power, but let's look closer at how Tavernier achieves this. Consider the organization of space, the arch’s architectural components: Each element contributes to a clear, hierarchical structure and symmetrical arrangement. These forms are crucial. Editor: Yes, but where did Tavernier acquire his materials, and how were they fabricated? What workshops were engaged to realize these scenes into reproducible forms for disseminating such political theatre? I can imagine the scale of investment such production required. And whose labor sustained such practices? These, to me, are fundamental questions for interpretation. Curator: Of course. However, I’d also propose that we note how the formal design guides the viewer's eye. The archway serves as a frame, leading to the void behind—an invitation to consider the city beyond. Even the cherub figure above seems deliberately positioned to emphasize line and symmetry within the work. Editor: Precisely! This symmetry only masks an enormous enterprise whose various parts would hardly be symmetrical in practice. Each print required physical labor, time, and specialized knowledge. It points to a vast infrastructure sustaining the monarchy and its visual projections. Even within the depiction of naval power, it suggests logistical considerations and access to international networks of resource extraction. Curator: The contrast of textures too – the smooth planes against the complex allegorical scenes are intended to demonstrate aesthetic refinement, don’t you think? Editor: Undoubtedly! Such visual refinement came at a great cost in labour power expended in workshops— and political maneuvering, one might say. Reflecting on this, I'm even more aware of how crafted this image is in terms of manufacture. Curator: Yes, the layered complexity. Editor: It is an artefact both made for, and made of power.