Kandelaar van messing in de Bovenkerk in Kampen before 1880

Editor: So, here we have an engraving from before 1880, depicting a brass candelabra in the Bovenkerk in Kampen. It looks quite grand and ornate, a real feat of craftsmanship. What strikes you most about it? Curator: What grabs my attention is thinking about the process of producing not only the physical object, but the image of it. Brass, a relatively accessible material, is here elevated through skilled labor into something resembling luxury. Then, consider the engraver replicating that for mass distribution. What does that process of reproduction tell us about the social value being placed on the candelabra? Editor: That's a good point. I hadn't thought about the multiple layers of production. How does the "print" medium shape our understanding of the candelabra as an object? Curator: The print flattens the candelabra, turning it into a design, an idea more readily disseminated and consumed. Consider the role of the printer - J. Crajenschot and C. Mortier - How does this medium democratize or perhaps distort its symbolic value? Does it invite admiration of skilled artistry, or does it stimulate desire, potentially promoting the demand for more affordable imitations in humbler materials? Editor: I see what you mean. The print acts as a kind of advertisement, or a design blueprint. It disconnects the object from the specific church and presents it as a model for aspiration. It is now less a piece of devotional architecture, but more like something ready to be made available to a consumer society Curator: Exactly. This single print gives rise to so many fascinating questions about consumption and how these aspirations, reproduced by skilled workers, can reshape ideas about the meaning of craftsmanship and religious grandeur.. Editor: I’ve learned so much about how we can decode artworks. Curator: Likewise. It's been a truly eye-opening experience, looking at what art represents, while considering its construction, labour, and cultural values.