Anthea quartus rondeletii 1731 - 1743

Editor: This is "Anthea quartus rondeletii" by Mark Catesby, dating from between 1731 and 1743. It's a hand-colored etching, watercolor and print. The fish is depicted in such detail; what do you see when you look at it? Curator: What I see is an object produced at a specific intersection of material conditions. It's not just an image of a fish. Consider Catesby, traveling to the Americas, collecting specimens, and then having to render them in print. It's about transforming natural observation into a commodity through specific processes of etching and hand-coloring. Editor: So you’re saying it’s less about the fish itself and more about how the image came to be? Curator: Exactly. Think about the labor involved: Catesby’s, of course, but also the etchers, the colorists… These are often anonymous hands contributing to a product intended for a specific market: European natural history enthusiasts eager for a glimpse of the ‘new world.’ The print itself is a material object, circulated, consumed, and interpreted. Editor: It sounds like a very collaborative process, even if some contributions were less recognized. Does that change how we should value the final product? Curator: Absolutely. It asks us to reconsider the traditional art historical emphasis on individual genius. Instead, we can analyze the social relations embedded within the making and circulation of this print. The paper, the ink, the pigments… each component has its own story connected to broader trade networks and colonial economies. Even the "hand-colored" element raises questions about skilled labor and artistic value. Editor: That’s fascinating! It definitely makes me look at the print in a new light, considering its journey and the hands that shaped it. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Remember, the material tells the tale.