Pont Neuf, Paris c. 20th century

Editor: This is Herman Armour Webster’s "Pont Neuf, Paris," an etching. The detail is incredible. How do you approach a piece like this? Curator: I focus on the labor involved. The repetitive lines, the process of etching itself – it speaks to a certain kind of industrial aesthetic even within a seemingly traditional landscape. Consider the consumption of images like this. Was it for the elite, a form of cultural capital? Editor: So, you are saying it’s less about the romantic Paris, and more about the means of production? Curator: Precisely. How does the medium shape our perception of Paris, and who had access to these views? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. Thank you.