Phineas Killing Zimri and Cozbi c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have Johann Sadeler I’s engraving, Phineas Killing Zimri and Cozbi. The scene feels so chaotic and violent, yet meticulously rendered. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Considering Sadeler's engraving, I see a commentary on power and control. Note how the artist, and by extension the patron, dictates the viewer’s consumption of violence and sexuality. It seems less about morality and more about the power to depict and disseminate. Editor: So, you're saying that the act of creating and distributing this image is as important as the story it tells? Curator: Precisely. How does the ownership and circulation of such imagery reinforce social structures? That's the real question here. What did you make of the labor needed to create this etching? Editor: I see what you mean. Thanks, I hadn't considered the power dynamics inherent in its production and distribution.