Three Men Talking, center, as Boat Is Repaired in background c. 17th century

Curator: This is François Collignon’s etching, "Three Men Talking, center, as Boat Is Repaired in background," from the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The tonal range and bustling scene grab me right away! It’s a hive of activity—though what exactly are they doing? Curator: Let’s consider the material processes. Collignon masterfully uses etching to depict labor. A boat is being repaired under a makeshift tent; the men are either building or maintaining infrastructure. Editor: True, but the three figures in the foreground stand out. Are they overseers, perhaps? Who benefits from this labor, and who is exploited? Their posture and dress suggests a certain status, set apart from the workers. Curator: Yes, the composition seems to highlight the social hierarchy inherent in maritime industries of the time, particularly ship building and associated trades. Editor: Thinking about today’s global supply chains, and who profits from the labor of underpaid workers, this image provides an important intersectional lens. Curator: Indeed, it prompts critical thinking about how material production is often intertwined with social inequalities. Editor: Precisely. I’ll be thinking about the image and the people in it for days.