Mount Saint Mammon 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Walter E. Trevett's "Mount Saint Mammon," an etching. The hazy cityscape feels almost apocalyptic. What do you see in this work? Curator: Well, let's consider the materials and the etching process itself. Each line represents labor, a physical engagement with the copper plate. And "Mammon," a biblical term for wealth... what did the artist intend here? Editor: Maybe he was critiquing capitalism and the cost of industrial growth? Curator: Precisely! The print, as a multiple, democratizes this critique. It asks: who consumes this image, and what's the social cost of that consumption? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about regarding the purpose of the piece. Curator: Indeed. Considering the means of production opens up a whole new perspective.