Zittende poes 1617 - 1681

Editor: This etching, "Zittende poes" or "Seated Cat" by Cornelis Saftleven, was created sometime between 1617 and 1681. It’s deceptively simple, just a cat, but I’m drawn to the incredible detail achieved with what looks like minimal etching. What stands out to you? Curator: Well, let's consider the historical context. Etchings like this weren't just about art for art's sake. Saftleven lived in a period of intense trade and the rise of the merchant class. How does the accessibility of printmaking, compared to painting, shift the consumption and accessibility of art itself? Editor: That's interesting. It's not some grand, commissioned portrait, it's a cat that many people could own. Does the technique of etching lend itself particularly well to representing something as tactile as fur? Curator: Precisely! The labor-intensive process – the acid biting into the metal, the meticulous layering of lines – mimics the creation of the cat's very being on the page. It blurs the boundaries of art and craft. Also, look at how the realism contrasts against what looks like quick pencil sketches, merging material practices to bring us the lifelike animal in print. Is the realism here truly mimetic, or are we engaging with different artistic styles and means, merged? Editor: So, it’s not just a cute picture of a cat, but also about accessibility and what value we assign the ‘handmade’ in different forms of art production? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the material conditions and the social context. It asks, who has access to art, how is it made, and what labor is involved in its creation? It prompts us to think critically about the whole system of art production. Editor: I'm going to see prints in a completely new way now, thinking about the process and its societal reach. Thanks! Curator: Likewise! I never looked this close into this cat before.