Landscape with a Square Tower 1650

Editor: This is Rembrandt van Rijn's "Landscape with a Square Tower," an etching on paper. The details he achieves in such a small space are amazing. What do you make of the textures and the way he renders them? Curator: It's important to consider Rembrandt's innovative use of etching techniques. He manipulates the copper plate to create varied line weights and densities. How does this manipulation speak to the social context of printmaking as a means of accessible art production and distribution? Editor: So, it’s less about depicting a perfect landscape and more about the process of making art accessible? Curator: Precisely. The very materiality of the etching, the labor involved, and its potential for mass consumption challenge traditional notions of art as a unique, precious object. Editor: That’s a totally different way of looking at it; thinking about the materials and labor changes everything. Curator: Indeed. Considering the materials illuminates the social forces at play in the art world.