Lake Auerno c. 17th century

Editor: This is an intriguing anonymous print titled "Lake Auerno." The stark lines of the engraving give it a rather graphic feel. What stands out to you? Curator: Well, I see an engagement with the very means of production. Look at the labor involved in creating those precise lines, the materiality of the printing plate itself. How was this image consumed? Editor: Consumed? What do you mean? Curator: Was it for scientific study, or to propagate a particular vision of landscape, perhaps tied to land ownership and the social status of those who could afford such prints? Editor: That’s a very different way to look at it. I was just thinking about the composition. Curator: Precisely. By examining the process, we understand the context of the work and its role in the broader sphere of material culture. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Thanks!