Scène uit La Gerusalemme Liberata 1745

Editor: This is "Scène uit La Gerusalemme Liberata" by Martin Schedel, made in 1745. It’s an engraving in ink on paper, and it depicts a historical scene. It's pretty small, and delicate. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: I'm particularly interested in the means of production here. Look at the lines – each one meticulously etched by hand. Consider the labour involved in creating this image, and what that labour meant in 1745. Editor: Right, it must have taken ages! Does the choice of engraving, as opposed to another medium, have some impact in the reading? Curator: Precisely. Engraving allowed for reproducibility. Prints were essentially early forms of mass media. How do you think the narrative it presents engages with Baroque aesthetics and its potential mass audience? Consider the relationship between artisanal skill and distribution here. Who was it for and how was it circulated? Editor: So it’s not just about the depicted historical scene itself, but also about who got to see it and how widely it was spread? Almost like an early meme. Curator: Indeed. This isn’t a unique artwork; it is a multiple, designed for consumption. And consider what “Scène uit La Gerusalemme Liberata" is. The print refers to "La Gerusalemme Liberata", and that relation speaks to the consumption and commodification of existing popular themes in Baroque culture, what do you make of this context in art making? Editor: That is an interesting take on the materials, skills, and process for artmaking at that time. I see this artwork in a different way now. Curator: Focusing on production gives us a new lens.