Title-Border. Figures of Justice and Geometry, with Sons Shooting Arrows at Their Father's Body 1574

Editor: Jost Amman's "Title-Border. Figures of Justice and Geometry..." is incredibly intricate. I'm struck by the level of detail achieved through the printmaking process. What can you tell me about the materials and social context of this piece? Curator: Look closely at the woodcut technique. The labor involved in carving these blocks! The social context is about book production, consumption, and the rise of print culture. Consider the economics driving the creation of such elaborate title pages. Who was buying these books, and what did such imagery signify about their status and intellectual pursuits? Editor: So, the value wasn't just in the text, but also in the craftsmanship and the material itself? Curator: Precisely. The artistry and labor invested in the production become a signifier of worth. It’s about understanding the economic and social forces at play in 16th-century bookmaking. Editor: This gives me a new perspective; I hadn’t considered the economic implications before. Curator: Materiality matters, doesn't it?