Amor Carrying a bundle of Arrows to Fill His Quiver 16th-17th century

Editor: This is "Amor Carrying a bundle of Arrows to Fill His Quiver," by Odoardo Fialetti. It's a small etching from the 17th century. I’m struck by the contrast between the figures and the landscape. What stands out to you about it? Curator: Considering Fialetti's workshop, notice how the etching technique itself mimics the tools of labor and production. The lines become the means of replicating classical themes for a broader market. How does this small-scale print participate in the larger system of artistic consumption during that period? Editor: That's fascinating! So, it's not just the image, but the very act of making and distributing it that holds meaning. It's a commodity! Curator: Precisely. And the poem below reinforces this by linking the manufacturing of arrows to the labor of Vulcan. Editor: This print provides a new lens through which to understand the work's social life. Thanks!