Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van etende konijnen door Gerardus Johannes Bos 1865 - 1880

Curator: I’m struck by how much detail is packed into this tiny image, almost jewel-like. Editor: This is a reproduction of "Eating Rabbits" by Gerardus Johannes Bos, created sometime between 1865 and 1880. The photomechanical print captures an original artwork with what seems like meticulous care. Curator: Yes, but what are we seeing represented through this process? The depiction of these bunnies—domesticated livestock more or less—reminds me of anxieties around the food chain, commodification, and how that relates to gendered labor in this era. Editor: Absolutely. Considering this is a photomechanical print, likely an engraving, allows us to examine both the artistic intention of the original image and the subsequent labour involved in its reproduction. Think about the skill necessary to replicate such details! It really complicates high art versus craft. Curator: Precisely! This sort of imagery, rendered via reproductive technologies, disseminated these scenes of pastoral contentment to broader audiences, reinforcing social and economic hierarchies rooted in notions of rural idyll and feminine domesticity. These bunnies represent an order to be consumed both visually and literally. Editor: The textures are also compelling. From the straw to the rabbit fur and rough, carved forms composing the pen, we have so many different materials on display, pointing towards a rich ecosystem of animal husbandry. How did this scene translate across processes, from paint to engraving to photographic reproduction? The labor involved at each level is part of the subject. Curator: And where did these bunnies 'live' within systems of class, and control? Editor: So, by paying close attention to materials and context, we are able to see layers of labor and class emerge that enrich our appreciation and provide for critical discussion around seemingly simple subject matter. Curator: Indeed. These photomechanical prints provide insight not only to representational content, but more complex systems of gender, class and labor during the time. Editor: I agree! And recognizing these material realities lets us appreciate the skills that bring Bos' scene to a larger viewing public.