Discipelen vragen Christus wie het grootste is in het koninkrijk van de hemel 1590 - 1622

Editor: We’re looking at “Discipelen vragen Christus wie het grootste is in het koninkrijk van de hemel,” a print made by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert between 1590 and 1622. I'm struck by the contrast between the delicate lines of the engraving and the powerful biblical scene it depicts. What's your interpretation of the piece? Curator: What interests me here are the means of production. Consider the labor involved in creating such a detailed engraving. Bolswert, or his workshop, meticulously cut these lines into a metal plate. This wasn't about individual genius; it was skilled work within a system of patronage and religious messaging. How does the mass production of this print for a market, compared to, say, a single illuminated manuscript, alter its reception and impact? Editor: That's a really interesting point. So, it's less about individual expression and more about the print as a reproducible object for wider consumption? Curator: Precisely! And it connects to social context. Look at the text included within the engraving itself. What does it suggest about the intended audience and how they were meant to interpret the images? This connects material, labor and cultural consumption of religious ideology. It forces us to see this "art" as a commodity in circulation and not something precious like paintings. Editor: I never thought about the printmaking process as an industrial one in a way, impacting accessibility to images for regular people. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about these engravings through labor, medium and material completely reframes the work. Editor: Thanks. Seeing the art through its material process has broadened my view.