Weeping Willow 1789

Editor: This is John Robert Cozens' "Weeping Willow," a delicate print. The intricacy of the tree's form is fascinating, but it feels somewhat detached from the natural world, almost manufactured. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the means of production. Printmaking, in Cozens' era, involved a complex system of labor, from the initial etching to the final distribution. This process inherently transforms the 'natural' into a commodity, influencing our perception of landscape. Editor: So, its distance from nature reflects its creation process? Curator: Precisely. The print's materiality, its paper and ink, and the labor behind its creation, are all crucial to understanding its meaning. Think about how such images were consumed and circulated in 18th-century England. Editor: I see. It’s not just a tree, but a product of its time. Thanks for opening my eyes.