Zes ornamentkoppen 1644 - 1718

Editor: So, this drawing, "Zes ornamentkoppen" by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, created sometime between 1644 and 1718, uses ink on paper. There’s something grotesque, almost cartoonish about these six heads. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: What interests me is how Mitelli uses accessible materials – ink and paper – to create these ornamental heads. They aren't presented as precious objects but rather as designs, prototypes almost. Think about where these designs might end up: furniture, architectural details, even everyday objects. It dissolves the line between fine art and the decorative arts. How do you think the Baroque style impacts this blending of categories? Editor: Well, the extravagance of the Baroque period feels at odds with using such common materials. I almost expect these heads to be sculpted from marble. Curator: Exactly! And isn't that contrast fascinating? Mitelli is using the readily available materials and processes to mimic that opulence, making it accessible and reproducible. The very act of drawing, the process of creating these heads, is foregrounded. It makes us think about the labor involved in producing ornamentation, the skilled hand of the artist democratizing it to a degree. Are we looking at art or a pattern book for artisans? The very question disrupts hierarchical thinking about art. Editor: So it's less about the specific heads and more about how and why they were made, and the potential for mass production even back then. Curator: Precisely! The materiality speaks volumes about the socioeconomic context, shifting artistic practices and new markets of craftsmanship. Editor: That’s given me a whole new way of looking at what seems like a simple drawing! Curator: And for me, a reminder to always question how artistic practices influence consumer society.