Andreas Unglenkius c. 18th century

Editor: So, this is a portrait of Andreas Unglenkius by Andreas Matthäus Wolfgang. It's a detailed print. What strikes me is the incredible labor involved in its creation—all those tiny lines! What do you make of this piece? Curator: Notice how the artist uses line and form to create a sense of material wealth and intellectual status. The ruff, the gown, the book... all objects produced and consumed within a specific social context. Consider the labor required to create the paper, the ink, the printing plate itself. What does this tell us about the economics of art in Wolfgang’s time? Editor: I see. So, it's less about the individual and more about the systems that made the portrait possible? Curator: Precisely. And the networks of exchange it represents. Editor: Fascinating! It changes how I see the artwork completely.