Diana vraagt Jupiter om eeuwige maagdelijkheid 1813 - 1874

Editor: So, this engraving is called "Diana asks Jupiter for Eternal Virginity" by Julien-Léopold Boilly, made sometime between 1813 and 1874. It feels very classical, with all the figures and the clean lines of the engraving. What do you see in it? Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the stark contrast between the mythological subject and the rather quotidian medium of engraving. Consider the labor involved in producing multiple copies of such a scene, seemingly meant for a wider consumption. How does this clash between high art subject matter and mass-producible print affect our interpretation of Diana's plea and Jupiter's power? Editor: That’s an interesting point. I hadn't thought about the printing process itself. Do you think that changes the allegory itself? Curator: It forces us to confront the social and economic context of the image. Diana's desire for autonomy, traditionally viewed through a lens of purity and choice, here is refracted through the very material processes that disseminate that image. Are we viewing a sacred scene, or a commentary on the commodification of ideals, and perhaps even of feminine virtue, for consumption by a bourgeois audience? Editor: So, it’s less about the story and more about how that story gets to the viewer? Curator: Exactly. The deliberate choice of engraving implicates the viewer in the circulation of this myth. We are not simply passive recipients; we are participants in a market that both valorizes and potentially trivializes these figures. The materiality directs our attention to those social forces. Editor: I never considered that engravings had such layers of meaning. Curator: These processes invite such investigation, urging us to see the materials and methods not just as neutral conveyors, but as active agents shaping the narratives they present. Editor: Thank you. I’ll definitely look at prints and drawings with a new perspective going forward.