Redemptor mundi c. 19th century

Editor: This is Paolo Toschi's "Redemptor mundi." The engraving presents a delicate scene. The process of producing multiple impressions democratized religious imagery, but how did that affect its reception? Curator: The engraving’s materiality is key. Consider the labor involved in producing this print, the copper plate, the ink, the paper. These materials were relatively accessible. How did the increased availability of such images influence religious practice? Editor: So, you're saying the means of production shaped its religious impact? Curator: Precisely. The act of reproducing this image shifts its meaning from a unique, devotional object to something more widely circulated and consumed. Editor: That's a totally different way of thinking about it. It makes me consider the economics of art in that period, too. Curator: Exactly. Focusing on the materials opens up a whole new understanding.