Fishery at Gaeta near the Castel Santissima Trinità 1670

Editor: This print, titled "Fishery at Gaeta near the Castel Santissima Trinità" by Melchior Küsel, depicts a coastal scene. The figures pulling the ship ashore really capture my attention. How do you interpret the labor and materials represented here? Curator: The print's value lies in documenting modes of production. Note the clear depiction of manual labor used to move that ship; it highlights the processes involved. We can analyze the materiality of the print itself, its existence as a commodity, and its reflection of the social and economic systems of the time. Editor: That gives me a lot to consider about the work involved. Curator: Exactly! It’s about understanding how art is not separate from, but deeply embedded in, material conditions and social power structures.