The Little Goat (La capretta) c. 1879

Editor: Domenico Morelli's "The Little Goat," created around 1879, is an etching that strikes me as particularly delicate. You can really see the marks of the process. What's your take on it? Curator: It's fascinating how Morelli uses etching to depict the animal and landscape. Think about the cultural context: Etchings were relatively accessible, making art more democratic. The materiality of the print allows for multiples, almost a mass production of a single artistic vision, even. It challenges this high/low art division. Editor: That’s interesting. So, you're seeing the printmaking process itself as being relevant to the art’s meaning? Curator: Precisely. The very act of creating multiples changes the artwork's role in society. This wasn't some unique oil painting accessible only to the wealthy. Consider the labor involved, too, in creating the plate from which these prints were made. It's about access and distribution, shifting away from traditional art patronage. Editor: It sounds like you're suggesting the technique used gives this work new social implications. Curator: Exactly! How the work was made and how it reached its audience are as critical to understanding its meaning as what it depicts. How do you view its mass production potential? Does the potential of infinite copies change our appreciation? Editor: I never thought about art that way before! I usually focus on symbolism. Curator: Materiality matters. Think about how many hands touched this work, from the artist to the printer to the seller. Considering the etching medium invites questions of consumption and dissemination. It really changes the narrative doesn't it? Editor: Definitely. I will remember to think about material and process in addition to what I immediately see from now on. Thank you.