Book XXI.52. Scipio sends troops into the lands between Trebia and Po for plunder {Tertiae Decadis Liber Primus p. XCIX} 1493

Editor: This is "Book XXI.52. Scipio sends troops into the lands between Trebia and Po for plunder," an anonymous print. The stark black lines give it a sense of urgency. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The labor involved in producing this print is significant. Consider the woodcutting, the inking, the printing itself. This image depicts plunder, but also represents the material production of knowledge and propaganda through printed media. Editor: So, it's not just about the scene but also the process of its creation and distribution? Curator: Exactly. The act of creating and consuming images like this reinforces certain power structures through the control of information and the glorification of military conquest. Editor: I never considered the print itself as part of the "plunder." Curator: Thinking about production reveals how deeply intertwined art and power are.