Dr. Charles Burney c. 18th century

Editor: This is William Sharp's portrait of Dr. Charles Burney. It's a print, so likely intended for wide circulation. What can we learn about 18th-century society from this artwork's production? Curator: Notice the intricate lines—etching and engraving were labor-intensive processes. The print's value was tied to Sharp's skill and time. Who had access to these images and what did that say about social hierarchies of knowledge and cultural capital? Editor: So, the print’s very existence reinforces class distinctions? Curator: Precisely. It served as a tool for both disseminating and reinforcing existing social structures through its production and consumption. Editor: That’s a new way to look at portraiture. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It is always useful to consider the material conditions that brought this image into being.