Game of Cards c. 18th century

Editor: So this is Pellegrino dal Colle's "Game of Cards". I'm really drawn to the etching; the lines feel so deliberate. What strikes me is the contrast between the leisure activity and what feels like a very humble setting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating intersection of class, labor, and leisure. Consider the materials: paper, ink, and the printing press itself. This image wasn't for the subjects depicted, but for a different consumer, likely of higher status. It’s a commentary on consumption. Editor: That's interesting. So, the act of creating and distributing the image itself reinforces social hierarchies? Curator: Precisely! The labor involved in producing this etching, versus the leisure it depicts, highlights the economic realities of the time. Who could afford leisure, and who could afford to consume images of it? It challenges our notions of craft versus art. Editor: I never thought about it that way before. Seeing it as a form of material commentary really shifts my perspective.