Creation of the World: Title Page 1589

Editor: This is Jan Harmensz. Muller’s engraving, "Creation of the World: Title Page." It's quite striking with its intricate lines and the central globe. The figures seem to be actively shaping the world. What do you make of the artistic and social implications of such a piece? Curator: Look at the emphasis on process. The figures are not just symbolic, but actively engaged in labor. How does the materiality of the engraving itself – the ink, the paper, the precise cuts – reflect the 17th-century world of production and consumption? Editor: So, you're focusing on the physical creation and how it mirrored their society? Curator: Exactly! This isn't just about religious allegory; it’s also about the means of creating and distributing knowledge. The printmaking process itself democratized images, think of the broader reach beyond paintings. Editor: That gives me a completely different perspective. Thanks! Curator: It's all about the art, the labor, and the world that made it possible.