Florence c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have "Florence," a print by Edward Goodall. It’s got such intricate detail, especially considering it's a print. How do you read this piece? Curator: I look at the labor embedded in its creation. The etcher's skill, turning a scene into reproducible images, speaks to the rise of mass media. Consider the paper, the ink, the press – each material a product of its own industrial process. Editor: So, you're saying the medium itself becomes part of the message? Curator: Precisely! The print democratizes art, making Florence accessible beyond the elite. The consumption of images became a commodity. What was once unique becomes reproducible and distributed. Editor: That’s a very different way of viewing it. I never considered the manufacturing aspect so much. Curator: Thinking about these things gives us a new appreciation for the processes of how art is made.