Le Lever 

Editor: Here we have “Le Lever,” an intaglio and engraving print by Nicolas François Regnault. It's an intimate scene, quite delicate, with a woman being helped as she dresses. I'm struck by how much work went into creating something seemingly so fleeting. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The engraving technique itself speaks volumes about the socio-economic conditions of artistic production at the time. Consider the labour involved in producing these images – the highly skilled artisans meticulously etching the metal plates. The work itself, rendered as an inexpensive print, suggests that a market for erotic images has evolved which is easily accessible to wealthy patrons. Where does one see the rise of consumption beyond merely acquiring necessities reflected in this print? Editor: I suppose the depiction of personal care and intimate moments also suggests wealth – that people have the time and resources for such things? Also the elaborate bedroom details. Curator: Precisely. The ornate furnishings in the bedroom, for example, represent not only wealth but also the accessibility of luxury goods to this social class, reflecting changing patterns of consumption. The print medium makes this imagery accessible and desirable to the middle and upper classes, illustrating social and economic stratification. Let’s also think about the source of these material: Where did the metals used for printing originate? Who was harmed, directly or indirectly, to bring about the scene depicted here? Editor: I hadn't really considered it that way. It is amazing how much a single image, just based on its materials and production, can tell us about economics and even the colonial context. Curator: Indeed. By examining the means of production and the circulation of the image, we gain insight into the social and economic forces shaping artistic creation. What an intaglio can tell about 18th-century society is quite fascinating.