H. Joris en de H. Cecilia 1660

Curator: Right, let’s delve into this print titled "H. Joris en de H. Cecilia," created around 1660 by Johannes Popels. The work is rendered as an engraving, which itself offers insights into 17th-century printmaking techniques. Editor: Oh, my initial impression is of a dream, or maybe a play. It feels both serious and slightly absurd, you know? Like putting on a costume and truly believing. Curator: Exactly! Consider the cost and expertise involved in creating such armor and fine clothing, and in commissioning this print. This wasn't accessible to everyone. It speaks volumes about patronage and the hierarchy of artistic production at the time. How would the materiality speak? Editor: Well, to me, the crisp lines of the engraving give them this kind of timeless, theatrical aura. It feels performative and slightly haunting, which only intensifies when thinking of its process: the precision, repetition and time involved! It invites an audience to reflect. I want to make the process relevant for an accessible audiece, it is almost meditative. Don't you think? Curator: Yes, and understanding the engraving process, the labor, materials and intention for making such material objects invites us to decode a lot about 17th century social values. From the artist's hand to the collector's shelf! How did this print function within systems of trade, networks and so on? Editor: Right, right, so the way the artwork speaks and means! As for Saint George, he represents so much - an entire value system related to honour. Curator: Precisely! The print offered a wider circulation to stories of valor. Let's think about that in today's society, with our endless forms of distribution. Editor: Hmm. Well, considering how many likes someone's TikTok receives is pretty dull when we’ve got Saint George staring at us from across centuries. But on the other hand, maybe both express similar societal values. Thanks, Johannes. I felt strangely consoled looking at this piece, thinking how little, and also how much, things change. Curator: Indeed. This print offers a potent link between material culture and enduring archetypes. I invite all of you to look deeper and to wonder about it some more.