Permit me to introduce to you her Majesty, The Queen 1900

Editor: So, here we have "Permit me to introduce to you her Majesty, The Queen" created around 1900 by William Wallace Denslow. It’s a print. I'm struck by the almost mass-produced feel of the print itself, even before considering the subject matter. It feels… intentionally accessible? What do you see in the process and materiality of this work? Curator: That’s an excellent starting point. Look at the starkness of the colors, the boldness of the lines. Denslow’s choices are rooted in the mechanics of printing at the turn of the century. He embraces the means of production, highlighting the "hand-made" in industrial processes of artmaking by emphasizing linework. These artistic choices democratize visual storytelling in a way previously unavailable; note the use of popular subject matter like comic illustration with the subject, and this would appeal to many folks regardless of high brow interests in “art”. Editor: So, it's not just *about* accessibility, the choices were intrinsically *driven* by those industrial processes? The materiality isn't secondary, it's almost… foundational? Curator: Precisely! This wasn't oil on canvas destined for a wealthy collector. This was an engagement with broader society, a playful dialogue driven by both artistic choices and the limitations—or, better yet, possibilities—of print technology. Even the fairy-tale subject nods to mass consumption; and how we find shared meanings, narratives, from what's available. Editor: So, the image isn’t just a story; it tells the story of *how* stories were starting to be disseminated. It's reflecting the means of cultural production right there in the image itself. That’s fascinating. Curator: Exactly. Denslow uses what’s available to him; he elevates accessible practices by placing this kind of materiality into art, as it may appeal to children as well as adults looking to consume visually and for story! Editor: I see the work with new eyes now. What I originally considered simplistic is actually pretty revolutionary regarding production! Curator: And hopefully, that sparks questions regarding today’s media-driven art, too! Always keep looking for that interplay of production, process, material, and intent.