Tray (Batea) with Turnus Provoked into War by Aeneas 1760 - 1770

Editor: This beautiful piece is a tray, or “Batea,” from 1760-1770 by José Manuel de la Cerda, depicting "Turnus Provoked into War by Aeneas." It’s crafted from wood with guilding and paint. The dark backdrop makes the ornate floral designs and the central scene pop. What do you see in terms of the material’s impact on the artwork’s message? Curator: As a materialist, I look first to the objecthood of this "tray." Its function as a "tray" is immediately relevant: this isn’t high art in the traditional sense, it’s decorative, functional, a piece of material culture. The combination of local wood with gilding—a luxury material often imported— speaks volumes about colonial trade routes and the consumption of exotic goods in Europe. What about the techniques of painting—how might those reflect labour conditions? Editor: That's interesting, I never considered that. The precision of the tiny figures and intricate designs suggests it required highly skilled labour and took a significant amount of time. How does this level of craftmanship influence our perception of the depicted scene from Virgil's Aeneid? Curator: Precisely. The act of rendering a classical scene, rooted in European high culture, onto an object designed for domestic use blurs the lines between the elite and the everyday. How does this tray challenge the established categories of "art" versus "craft?" The repetitive floral pattern, for instance – it may have been made by less skilled, thus less privileged, artisans compared to the figures in the center. Does that influence your appreciation of the artwork as a whole? Editor: Absolutely, seeing the artistic work and understanding production changes how I interpret it. It shows this isn’t just a depiction of a story; it’s a statement about commerce, skill, class, and labor. I wouldn't have noticed without your materialist perspective. Curator: And seeing it as a product, it prompts questions: Who was its intended audience? What role did it play in the social rituals of its time? It reminds us that objects carry history and reflect complex power dynamics that deserve close examination.