Clothing the Naked

Editor: This is "Clothing the Naked" by David Custos, an engraving. The figures seem to be interacting with each other, some are clothed and some are not. What can you tell me about this print? Curator: Look at the material reality—the engraver's tools, the paper. This print was produced through labor. How does the artist's technique reflect the social context of this era, the economic disparities perhaps? Editor: That's interesting, so you are saying to look at the process to get to the meaning? Curator: Precisely. It shows us that the means of production influenced the consumption and interpretation of the image, even then. Editor: Thank you. I’ll consider this more closely. Curator: Indeed, it's about seeing beyond the surface, into the art's making and the society that shaped it.