Edward the Martyr 1773

Editor: This is Andrea Casali's "Edward the Martyr," made in 1773. It's an engraving, depicting quite the dramatic scene. What I find immediately striking is the detail achievable through this printmaking process. What's your interpretation of this piece? Curator: For me, the engraving offers a fascinating window into 18th-century labor practices. Consider the sheer time and skill involved in creating this plate. The work itself is a testament to the engraver's artisanal production and this system of creating and consuming images. We have to examine the social context and commercial landscape surrounding the creation of this piece. Editor: You mean beyond just the depiction of Edward’s death? What’s interesting to consider in terms of the cultural production of it? Curator: Exactly. Engravings like this served a key function in disseminating historical narratives to a wider audience, practically manufacturing national myths through repetitive processes. How many impressions were made, and who had access to them? Understanding the print's production helps reveal how power and information were circulated at the time. The line, the impression, it all becomes about communication for who could access this ‘product’ and how far its meaning permeated society through these engravings. Editor: So it's not just the “what” of the image but the “how” and the “who” that really matters? Curator: Precisely! The material existence of the engraving, its role in a larger system of production and consumption, dictates its true significance and offers a potent material understanding of a historic art. The quality of the paper, the ink – even how it was sold! These material considerations can help bring further context to the work, the message, and its period. Editor: That makes so much sense! It changes how you view the print completely. I will be more aware of the material making from now on.