The Interment of Jesus 1878

Editor: Here we have Antonio Piccinni's "The Interment of Jesus," an etching and engraving on paper from 1878. The stark contrasts create a somber, almost eerie, feeling. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: I’m immediately struck by the choice of etching and engraving. These aren’t spontaneous gestures; they demand careful labor and precise execution. Consider the social context: printmaking allowed for wider dissemination of images, making religious narratives accessible beyond the elite. Who do you think was the target audience for prints like these and how might their reception differed from those who viewed paintings on canvas? Editor: I hadn’t thought about accessibility. Perhaps this brought religious art to the homes of middle-class families? Curator: Exactly! And look at the materials themselves—paper, ink, metal plates. These are commodities. Piccinni is participating in a market, responding to a demand. Is this purely a work of religious devotion or a product of its time, influenced by the forces of production and consumption? Editor: So, even religious art is subject to the economic realities of its creation. I guess the very act of turning a sacred moment into a reproducible image changes its meaning. Curator: Precisely! It blurs the lines between devotional object and commodity. Think about the role of the artist. Piccinni, a skilled artisan, transformed a biblical story into a tangible, marketable item, impacting its meaning and reach. The lines and shading might remind the contemporary viewer of other, more mundane commercial engravings and etchings for newspapers or advertisements. Editor: It's fascinating how examining the materials and process opens up a whole new layer of understanding. It makes me consider the artist's role not just as an inspired creator, but also as a worker within a specific historical and economic system. Curator: Yes, thinking about art through its material production, labour involved, and channels of consumption offers a grounded, and often, revealing perspective.