Jakobs lichaam wordt naar Kanäan gebracht 1720 - 1728

Curator: Let's consider this print, "Jakobs lichaam wordt naar Kanaän gebracht" by Cornelis Huyberts, dating from the early 18th century. A baroque engraving depicting the transportation of Jacob's body to Canaan. The first thing that jumps out to me is the sheer amount of detail – every figure seems to have its own story. How do you respond to this work initially? Editor: The level of detail is really astonishing! I am taken aback by the material labor it took to create the intricate design, and the ways it echoes or reimagines social structures. What's the significance of depicting a biblical scene through the lens of Baroque printmaking? Curator: It's crucial to consider the process here. The very act of engraving—the labor involved in transferring the image onto a copper plate, the multiplication of the image through printmaking—speaks to the commodification of religious narratives in the early 18th century. Prints like this circulated widely. Where were these likely sold and how were they distributed, and how does that effect your reading of the piece? Editor: So, the materials and process weren’t simply about artistic expression but were deeply intertwined with economics and distribution? I am now thinking more deeply about the conditions of creation... Curator: Precisely. These images entered households, shaped perceptions of scripture, and perhaps even reflected the social hierarchy, wouldn't you agree? What would it have meant to own a print such as this? Editor: It changes everything, placing focus away from simply the story itself and onto how that story became accessible – almost mass-produced in a way – through this particular medium. I hadn’t considered the socioeconomic factors before. Curator: Reflecting on the process has opened my eyes too, offering new possibilities when viewing similar artworks! Thanks! Editor: It gave me a whole new lens for seeing how historical context and material practices shape meaning! Thanks to you too!