Peasant's House c. 18th century

Editor: This is Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich's "Peasant's House." It's a sketch, very detailed, almost crowded, and looks like it was made rapidly. What can we learn about the culture it came from? Curator: Look at the materials: modest paper, easily transported. This suggests a market valuing accessible landscape imagery. The etching process itself—replicable, commercial—democratizes art, contrasting with unique paintings commissioned by elites. How might this affect the perception of the peasantry depicted? Editor: So, by making it more available it makes the subject more accessible? I hadn't thought about it that way. Curator: Exactly. The means of production and distribution shape how society views labor and the working class. It makes you consider who gets to own and appreciate this kind of imagery. Editor: Fascinating. It makes you wonder how the subject saw themselves too, and where they stood in society.