Ponte Vecchio, Florence c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Ponte Vecchio, Florence," a small etching. The figures in the water seem so immediate and raw compared to the architecture. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Callot’s focus on the etched line itself—the sheer labor in its execution, repeated and regimented—becomes the subject. Notice how the bridge’s structure, built on commerce, industry, is defined by the very lines that create the throngs of people. Editor: So, the process mirrors the subject? Curator: Precisely. The printmaking itself is a kind of production, reflecting the commerce happening on the bridge. The materiality of the print links it to the materiality of the marketplace. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It gives a whole new dimension to the print.