Distribution of Prizes for Archery 18th-19th century

Editor: This is "Distribution of Prizes for Archery" by Johann Conrad Ulmer, and it's held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like an etching, but what strikes me is how much the image showcases the costumes and props. What do you see in it? Curator: I’m drawn to the material conditions implied here. Look at the textures rendered through the etching process: the velvet of the costumes, the metal of the archery prizes. Consider how this print circulated and its value as a commodity. It elevates craft to the level of art. Editor: So, it's not just the image, but the paper, the ink, and the process of printing that tell the story? Curator: Precisely. The act of production and its materiality are key. Editor: Fascinating. I’ll never look at prints the same way again. Curator: Indeed. It's about labor and materiality, not just artistic skill.