Landscape with the Nobleman of Capernaum c. 18th century

Editor: So, this is Jean-Baptiste-Claude Chatelain's "Landscape with the Nobleman of Capernaum". It's interesting how the landscape seems to dwarf the figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an aquatint deeply rooted in the production and circulation of images. The printmaking process itself, using acid to etch the image onto the plate, suggests a specific kind of labor and accessibility. Editor: Accessibility? Curator: Yes. Prints like this allowed for wider distribution and consumption of landscape imagery, turning even biblical scenes into commodities. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered. It makes me think about how art was experienced by different classes in the 18th century. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, thinking about the "means of production" changes our view of even seemingly idyllic scenes.