Schaapsherder leunend tegen een boom c. 1890 - 1918

Editor: Here we have Philip Zilcken's "Schaapsherder leunend tegen een boom," an etching, probably created sometime between 1890 and 1918. There's something quite melancholic about the scene; a shepherd resting under a tree with his dog and sheep. How do you interpret the choices of material and technique in relation to its depiction of rural labor? Curator: Considering Zilcken’s background, and the printmaking process itself, we can see how the *Schaapsherder* speaks to both Realist artistic principles and the increasing industrialization of labor. Etching, as a reproductive medium, inherently democratizes art. This piece would have been much more widely available, even as it romanticized the very labor it depicts. Editor: So, the *process* of etching is essential to understanding its social context. The print *about* labor circulates *through* labor? Curator: Exactly. Zilcken chose etching which then connects the artistry back to labor itself, even to manual skill. He also demonstrates the changing status of pastoral labor. Editor: I see what you mean. Instead of depicting some epic historical battle, he highlights the everyday reality, transforming it into art and an affordable luxury item, that connects people to that reality of rural life in a changing social and economical climate. Curator: Yes. Think about the production involved in each impression of this etching, the materials and labor that created them. By understanding those forces, the image takes on another level of meaning that is intrinsically tied to the context from which it was produced. Editor: That's fascinating; I had never considered the etching process in that light before! Thanks for helping me think through this artwork more deeply. Curator: My pleasure! Reflecting on art through the lens of its materiality opens up a whole new dimension of appreciation.