Triomf van de rijkdom en de armoede 1780

Curator: "Triomf van de rijkdom en de armoede," from 1780, an engraving on paper. Quite the allegorical scene, isn't it? Editor: It is! I'm struck by the stark contrast of the scene and the sort of frantic energy it conveys, even though it's static. It makes me think about the lives of those who are toiling to barely make a living. How would you approach interpreting this print? Curator: As a materialist, I immediately think about the means of production. Engravings were a widespread method of circulating images, making this allegory accessible to a wide audience, particularly those literate enough to read the descriptions and titles in multiple languages included in this example. Consider the labor involved. The artist had to master the skills to translate an idea, probably based on an earlier drawing or description, into a series of precise lines. How do you think the engraving medium influences the message here? Editor: Well, given the scale of distribution that prints allowed, would this be seen as political commentary accessible to everyday people? And, relatedly, is this just about class struggle? Curator: Perhaps political commentary aimed at everyday people, but, also a commercial commodity itself! Someone had to be trained in the technique, and employed, producing a desirable image to be sold, again for the purpose of broadly distributing certain ideals. Do you see other classes represented, perhaps? How are they framed? Are they doing any visible labor? What would it take for one to produce one of these allegories, and for another to own one? Editor: Ah, I see! The ruling classes, their labor obscured. The engraving is both an argument about wealth disparity and a physical manifestation of it. Thank you! That perspective on the means of production gives me a lot to consider. Curator: Precisely. Examining the production, materials, and consumption opens up a new set of insights into its social context.