Ornaments and accessories of the same Tavern 

Editor: Here we have Giovanni Battista Piranesi's print, likely an etching and engraving, titled "Ornaments and accessories of the same Tavern". The rendering has an almost technical quality. It makes me think of architectural diagrams. What is your take on this unusual piece? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this not as a neutral document, but as a product of a particular historical and economic moment. Look closely at the precision of the lines, the detail afforded to the ruins of what may be Pompeii. This level of labor speaks volumes about the value placed on representing, and consuming, antiquity. Editor: You mean like a historical tourism souvenir? Curator: More than just a souvenir. Think about who would have purchased such a print. It likely catered to a burgeoning upper class eager to consume tangible remnants of the past. This also begs the question: Where were these materials sourced from, how were they created and by whom? Editor: So the materials, like the ink and paper, are relevant to the cultural context as well? Curator: Precisely. This image is not simply a record of ancient architecture. It is equally an artifact reflecting the 18th century’s appetite for a commodified and romanticized classical world, from pigments to perspective. Every line speaks volumes about production, labor, and consumption. Editor: I see! It's a way of understanding the culture that both created and consumed the work. Thank you; I hadn't thought about prints this way before. Curator: A fresh look is always valuable! Looking at the making is fundamental.