Wapenschild met helm 1625

Editor: Here we have "Wapenschild met helm," or "Coat of Arms with Helmet," an engraving from 1625. It's attributed to an anonymous artist and housed right here in the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me how incredibly ornate the design is. How might we interpret this work? Curator: I see an object steeped in the means of its making, reflecting the intense labor involved in engraving at this scale. Note how the act of production—the minute, repetitive cutting of the plate—mimics the hierarchical structures the coat of arms represents. What was the cost of labor here? Who were the consumers of these images, and what sort of power did it give them? Editor: That’s a great point; it highlights how accessible prints made heraldry to a wider audience beyond the aristocracy, yet it still required specialized skill to produce. Do you see a connection to contemporary art practices at all? Curator: Absolutely. Think about printmaking collectives, or artists who engage in mass production as a form of social commentary. They, too, question the aura of the "original" artwork by emphasizing the process of reproduction and labor involved, disrupting established value systems. The materiality of art becomes a central question. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider how this historical print participates in a dialogue about art's value and accessibility that continues today. I hadn't thought about the repetitive labour inherent in engraving mimicking social hierarchies! Curator: By thinking about it materially and socially, it invites consideration far beyond just aesthetic appreciation. The print functions less as an isolated masterpiece and more as a document of a specific moment in the history of production and consumption.