Suite af skibe 1748 - 1831

Editor: This is "Suite af skibe," created between 1748 and 1831 by J.F. Clemens. It's an etching and aquatint print. I find the contrast between the delicate lines of the ship and the turbulent sky quite striking. How does this piece speak to you? Curator: For me, the value lies in understanding the printmaking process itself. Consider the aquatint, used to create those atmospheric tones. It’s essentially about controlling corrosion of the metal plate with acid, a chemical labor shaping the image. And etching refines the sharp details of the vessel. Editor: So, the materials themselves and the process of manipulating them are central? Curator: Absolutely. Think about the social context too. Prints made art accessible. How would the consumption of an image like this have differed among social classes? What did it mean to disseminate images of ships in that period? Editor: It democratized image ownership but probably still circulated mainly within the elite due to literacy rates and print distribution networks? Curator: Precisely. It compels us to consider the artist’s labour alongside the craftsman's: how Clemens negotiated these roles to participate in artistic and economic production. This wasn't merely aesthetic creation, but work and production with specific intentions for consumption and viewership. Editor: That gives me a completely different perspective. I was initially drawn to the romantic idea of seafaring, but you've highlighted the socio-economic dimension tied to the means of production. Curator: Seeing art through the lens of material processes and historical labour adds so much nuance, right? Editor: Definitely. It pushes us to think beyond the surface and consider the broader web of connections.