Évrard Titon du Tillet 1737

Editor: So, this is Gilles Edme Petit's engraving, "Évrard Titon du Tillet." I'm struck by the detail of his clothing and the way he's posed with the books. What's your take on this piece? Curator: Notice how the printmaking process itself democratizes this image. Engravings allowed for mass production and circulation, impacting consumption of portraiture. This image moves away from the traditional elite art sphere. How does this relate to the sitter's social position? Editor: That’s interesting; I hadn't thought about that. It's fascinating to consider the impact of the medium itself. I guess it made the image more accessible to a wider audience. Curator: Exactly! The materiality of the print, and the labor involved, transformed both the subject and the audience. It reframes how we see power and patronage.