Printer's Mark of Guillaume Rouille c. 16th century

Curator: This is the Printer's Mark of Guillaume Rouille, an anonymous piece. What strikes you most about it? Editor: Well, it's an old book page, a title page. It’s the materiality, the paper itself, and the intricate design that draws me in. What can you tell me? Curator: Consider the socio-economic context. Printing was a burgeoning industry. Each mark like this was a carefully crafted brand, a signifier of quality and the labour involved in book production. Note the details of the heraldry, a clue to the printer’s aspirations. Editor: So, it's not just art, but a mark of labor and commerce? Curator: Precisely. The paper, the ink, the printing press – all represent material realities and social relations of production in 16th century Venice. I wonder what this book originally cost? Editor: That’s fascinating! I never thought about art in relation to its means of production this way. Curator: Thinking about the material and social life of artworks can be very rewarding.