Melkende vrouw 1814

Editor: This is "Melkende vrouw," or "Milking Woman," created around 1814 by Jacob Ernst Marcus. It’s an engraving, and I’m struck by how detailed the cross-hatching is, especially given that it depicts such an everyday scene. It really draws your eye to the labour involved. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: I’m interested in how this print participates in the valorization of rural labour through its medium. Prints, particularly engravings like this one, were a means of disseminating images widely and relatively cheaply. In that context, the artist wasn't merely depicting the act of milking but producing a commodity itself, made possible by the division of labour of the print shop. What impact would mass production have on the perception of rural activities and labour? Editor: So you're saying the print itself becomes a reflection on the commodification of labor? Even the milking? Curator: Exactly. Look at the milking stool discarded on the ground. What does it suggest about how materials are viewed and used? It's not precious, but essential, isn't it? We need to think about the economic systems at play when viewing seemingly simple genre scenes, especially when mass production comes into play and the image is for sale to many. Editor: It's easy to look past that everyday tool. This makes me consider the economics intertwined in creating the engraving. I initially overlooked the printmaking labor of production. Curator: These prints offered romanticized versions of rural life to urban consumers, transforming the labor into consumable images and reinforcing social stratification through different avenues of cultural production. I think you’ve really got an eye for this materiality and contextualisation of art, well done. Editor: Thanks! Considering your materialist view, it changes the image from a simple scene into an active cultural commentary.