Theuerdarnk Nearly Shoots Himself with a Crossbow, from [Theuerdank] Die geuerlicheiten vnd einsteils der geschichten des loblichen streytparen vnd hochberümbten helds vnd Ritters herr Tewrdannckhs 1517 - 1526

Curator: Here we have a woodcut print by Hans Burgkmair, dating from 1517 to 1526, titled "Theuerdarnk Nearly Shoots Himself with a Crossbow," part of a larger illustrated book about the adventures of the knight Theuerdank. Editor: It feels… tense! I mean, visually. So much detail crammed in, that almost frenetic energy of the lines – it’s like a moment right before everything explodes, a horse rearing, an arrow flying. Curator: Absolutely, the busyness reflects the period. Courtly love narratives were huge. Think of the labor involved; each line meticulously carved, a whole workshop dedicated to producing these images for wider distribution. And consider the economics – illustrated books meant literacy was spreading, new markets opening up. Editor: True, but looking at the crossbow bolt whizzing upwards… It's a comical moment of near-disaster frozen in time. Did wealthy folks laugh at stories where they nearly got shot? It feels a little… self-aware. Curator: Maybe! The court probably loved the spectacle. But remember, Burgkmair didn't just spontaneously create this image; it's a product of patronage. Emperor Maximilian I commissioned this whole elaborate allegory, the *Theuerdank* poem, which was then turned into a printed book designed to boost his dynastic prestige. These books are full of subtle propaganda if you care to notice. Editor: So, craftsmanship as a PR exercise? The ultimate humblebrag. Ironic. You look closer and all the tiny, almost obsessively detailed foliage becomes about power, about status... Funny how our feelings can shift once we look a little closer. Curator: Precisely! The material is never just material. In its time it reflected very intentional goals related to its distribution. And it is an aesthetic artifact that provides some insight to what came after it. Editor: Alright, time to go buy myself some stationary. Time to plot some crossbow accident. And by crossbow accident I mean like… ordering Thai. Food that involves bow and arrow. Curator: Maybe, time to focus again on the arrow and its relation to distribution channels within publishing networks… I'm not going to ask.