Slapende Amor 1659 - 1740

Editor: Here we have Jan van der Bruggen's "Slapende Amor," an engraving from sometime between 1659 and 1740. There's such a peacefulness to it, the way the cherubic figure is nestled under the tree. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: For me, it's the means of production that fascinate. Engraving allowed for a wider dissemination of images, but the skill! Look at how Bruggen mimics the textures of skin, fabric, and foliage through the sheer labor of cutting lines into a metal plate. Consider the time and resources involved, the societal value placed on reproducing these allegorical scenes. What does this process of mass production say about 17th and 18th century notions of love? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the socio-economic aspect of the engraving process itself, just its artistic qualities. Curator: Precisely. Think about who had access to these images, who commissioned them, and how that access reflected and reinforced social hierarchies. Even the paper it's printed on speaks to systems of trade, colonization, and resource extraction of the period. What narratives are these materials complicit in creating? Editor: So it’s less about the sweet, sleepy Cupid, and more about… Curator: …The complex network of materials, labor, and consumption that brought this image into existence. And how the commodification of such allegories changed art production at the time. The labor itself, both artistic and industrial, is really the subject, I think. Editor: I'm beginning to see how you can read an artwork through its materials and their implications. It adds so much depth. Curator: Absolutely. Art isn't just about the pretty image; it’s about the power structures embedded in its very making. Editor: I'll definitely be looking at art differently now. Thanks for that illuminating perspective.