Metropolitan Print Room #2 c. 1927

Curator: This is Grant Reynard's etching, "Metropolitan Print Room #2," created around 1927. Editor: It feels heavy. Look at all that dense crosshatching creating shadows—almost oppressive. Like the weight of all those books is palpable. Curator: Yes, it's quite a study in concentrated activity, isn't it? Note the genre-scene portrayal, but consider too, the symbol of knowledge itself represented in the backdrop—walls lined with tightly-packed books. Editor: It makes you wonder, what kind of labor goes into creating these etchings. The labor in this case is evident in the minute detail and hatching work which give it a quality of an image extracted, not one immediately given to a viewer. Curator: And see how the figures are situated? We have two gentlemen poring over what appears to be artwork, perhaps comparing impressions, while a solitary figure stands away in the shadows. This distancing from direct light grants this onlooker the freedom of observing. The symbolism of knowledge, hidden versus explicit understanding, feels relevant still. Editor: Speaking of shadows, what about the ink itself? The quality of intaglio— the actual pressing and wiping to remove ink for creating tonality. Look closer at how some regions of the work have clearly been buffed up compared to others. The entire character of this print relies on careful decisions in printing process and subtle manipulations. Curator: Indeed, it prompts consideration about the hidden efforts involved in knowledge production. It's quite interesting how the artist utilizes these visual dynamics to engage us. It is the cultural memory about libraries and artistic appreciation that informs my reading. Editor: But consider also the socioeconomic aspect; here we have objects which have come to be venerated because of social value assigned. Curator: Very insightful to connect social value of the process. So much to ponder. Editor: There really is.