Design for a Triumphal Cart (?) 1700 - 1800

Editor: This is "Design for a Triumphal Cart (?)," made sometime in the 18th century by an anonymous artist, using pen, colored pencil, and ink on paper. I'm immediately drawn to the intricacy of the drawing, and the cherubic figures seem so full of life, even in a sketch. What strikes you about this work? Curator: For me, it's the artist's labor we must consider. The anonymous creator of this drawing labored with specific, costly materials, pen and ink. Think about the social context - who commissioned such a design? Triumphal carts are linked to displays of power. Editor: So, it's not just the pretty drawing, but who would even need such an elaborate design? Curator: Precisely. And consider the paper itself. Its quality reflects the commissioner's wealth. Was this design ultimately realized in material form – a real cart? That question leads us to consider the relationship between drawing and craft. Editor: Right. This drawing wouldn’t be displayed as art in itself, necessarily; it's a functional blueprint. Were these drawings common, before industrial manufacturing? Curator: Absolutely. It underscores the value placed on skilled labor and the economic investment involved in celebrating power through such displays. The material cost extends far beyond just the paper and ink – what resources did the triumph itself rely on? Editor: It makes you wonder about all the unseen hands that would've been involved in a project like this! I definitely see this drawing differently now. I was initially taken by the surface aesthetics. Curator: Exactly. By examining the materiality and production of the "Design for a Triumphal Cart," we reveal layers of social and economic relations often hidden behind the spectacle of Baroque imagery.