View of the Mountains of Ice during Carnival at Moscow after 1794

Editor: This print, "View of the Mountains of Ice during Carnival at Moscow," is by G. Oberkogler. The detail is incredible! What strikes me is the depiction of labor involved in building these ice structures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's fascinating to consider how the materials—ice and wood, presumably—were sourced, transported, and assembled. Who were the laborers? Was this forced labor, or paid? The print inadvertently documents the social context of its creation. Editor: So, beyond the festive scene, it's revealing the labor and class structures of the time? Curator: Precisely. The “mountains of ice” were a spectacle, but at what cost, and who benefitted? It makes you question the relationship between art, labor, and consumption. Editor: That gives me a lot to consider, thank you! Curator: A crucial perspective to remember when we look at art.