Plate 11: Apollo riding his chariot in a niche, facing right, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses" 1526

Editor: Here we have "Plate 11: Apollo riding his chariot in a niche, facing right, from \"Mythological Gods and Goddesses,\"" an engraving by Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio from 1526. It’s quite striking how the lines create such a sense of movement. What stands out to you about this print? Curator: I’m particularly interested in the mechanics of its production. The artist here had to master the engraving technique, the careful labor of cutting lines into a metal plate. Think of the artisanal workshop system and how that would affect its reception and distribution. What was the social function of prints like this at the time? Editor: So, instead of just admiring Apollo, you're thinking about the engraver and his workshop? Curator: Precisely! We must consider the circulation of these images. How does this reproductive technology impact notions of originality and authorship? Consider, too, that engravings facilitated wider access to classical imagery; to a buying class who could acquire this “knowledge”. Editor: That's a perspective shift! I usually consider the symbolism, but now I’m picturing the actual process, the skill involved in creating such detailed lines. What type of tools would be used? Curator: Exactly, we are seeing the labour involved; each mark carefully and methodically made, translated and circulated. What does that repetition allow the artist to explore in this work? Editor: Well, the more I look at it from this angle, the more the intense craftsmanship reveals a deliberate democratisation of classical art. A powerful god replicated to those with less influence than him. I hadn't considered it that way before. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure!