Visitation c. 17th century

Editor: This small etching is Jacques Callot's "Visitation." The density of lines creating form is remarkable. What can you tell me about the socio-economic context that shaped such an intimate work? Curator: The very process of etching, involving acid, metal plates, and printing presses, reveals a complex network of labor and resources. Callot, as a skilled printmaker, was essentially producing multiples for consumption. How does this mass production affect our understanding of the "aura" of this religious scene? Editor: That's fascinating! It shifts my perception from a unique devotional object to a commodity, distributed and consumed. Thank you! Curator: Indeed. And that shift changes everything about how we think about art and its impact.