The whole company set out for Olympus c. 18th century

Editor: This is "The whole company set out for Olympus" by Remi Henri Joseph Delvaux. It's a delicate print, and I’m struck by the ethereal quality of the figures. What production methods do you think he used? Curator: The printmaking process itself, likely etching or engraving, is key. Consider the labor involved in creating these fine lines and the social context of printmaking as a reproductive medium, making imagery accessible to a wider audience. How does that accessibility affect our understanding of its mythological content? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. So, the act of reproduction democratizes the Olympian narrative? Curator: Precisely. It shifts the focus from unique masterpiece to a commodity, a cultural product circulated and consumed. The materiality of the print emphasizes this transition. Editor: I see that now! It’s less about the divine and more about how the divine is manufactured and distributed. Thanks!