A Cività Castellana 18th-19th century

Editor: Here we have Jacob Wilhelm Mechau's "A Civita Castellana," an etching. It’s quite detailed! What strikes me is the contrast between the wild, overgrown landscape and the ruined structure. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Notice the labor involved in creating this image: the intensive work of etching. Consider the social context: prints like these democratized access to landscapes, previously only available to the elite through painting. How does the materiality of the print shape our understanding of landscape and ownership? Editor: So, the print-making process itself is part of the artwork's meaning, making landscapes more accessible. I never thought of it that way! Curator: Exactly. The medium is the message, reflecting shifts in production and consumption during that era.