Madonna met kind 1618 - 1655

Curator: Today we are looking at "Madonna and Child," an engraving by Cornelis Schut, created sometime between 1618 and 1655. Editor: The cross-hatching creates this sense of depth, and it's interesting how a relatively accessible process and inexpensive material were employed to portray this…sacred scene. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What interests me is not so much the sacred nature of the subject, but rather the means of its reproduction and dissemination. Engraving allowed for the mass production of imagery. Considering that, how does the relatively crude nature of the engraving influence your understanding? Does this challenge the typical idea of art's preciousness? Editor: Absolutely! Thinking about it that way, the accessibility of engravings makes you reconsider the artist's purpose. Was Schut making a statement on religion or commerce, or both? Curator: Exactly! The lines become blurred, don't they? Who was consuming this image, and why? Were they buying into the Baroque style, the religious iconography, or simply purchasing affordable art? Moreover, consider the engraver’s labor involved in production. Where does the labor exist? And whom does it benefit? These aspects alter the reception of what we now deem as artistic works. Editor: It's amazing how understanding the material process behind this piece can completely shift your perspective, allowing one to investigate both its history and culture. I now wonder about the economy behind art making. Curator: Yes, that's precisely my point. When we consider art as the product of materials, labour and economics, it truly enables a far deeper understanding.