The Moon 1585

Editor: This is Johann Sadeler’s print, “The Moon.” I’m struck by how the industrial activity and commerce of the city below contrasts with the allegorical figures above. What materials were used, and how does that inform its meaning? Curator: As an engraving, "The Moon" is intrinsically tied to the labor and skill involved in its production. The means of reproducing images like this allowed for wider consumption and distribution of ideas, and the market for these things. Note how it elevates the status of Venice, Genoa, Pisa, and Hollandia. Editor: So the print itself is part of the message, connecting craftsmanship with the symbolic representation of the moon’s influence on the earthly realm? Curator: Precisely. The very act of making and circulating this image is part of its meaning, and its role in shaping a worldview.