Secretaire 1866 - 1879

Curator: So, we're looking at a print here of a "Secretaire" by Edouard Lièvre, made between 1866 and 1879. It’s currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: This piece is fascinating. It seems to depict an elaborate piece of furniture. I'm intrigued by the fine lines and detail. What do you see in this work that I might be missing? Curator: Let's consider this object as a material artifact embedded within a specific historical moment. Notice the intricate engravings – these highlight not only the object's design but also the labor involved in its creation and reproduction. How does the medium itself, printmaking, democratize access to luxury goods, allowing for a wider circulation of taste and aspiration? Editor: That's a great point. By reproducing this, more people get to experience the "finer things." I guess it makes me wonder, who was consuming these prints, and what did owning such an image mean to them? Curator: Precisely. Think about the social context: the rise of industrialization and consumer culture in the late 19th century. This print would have been circulated among a burgeoning middle class, eager to emulate the lifestyles of the aristocracy. We see the intersection of art, commerce, and social mobility. How does this piece challenge our conventional understanding of art as solely existing within the realm of "high culture?" Editor: It blurs the lines quite a bit! It makes me think about art and craft, and how maybe that line is not so clear. It really opens up a discussion about how we assign value to art based on its origin and the way it's made. Thanks for sharing your perspective! Curator: My pleasure. Considering art through the lens of its material production and consumption helps us deconstruct established hierarchies and understand art's relationship to society.