At the Scene of the Fire c. 19th century

Editor: This is "At the Scene of the Fire" by August Gaber, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a print, and it feels incredibly detailed. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The etching exemplifies how materials and labor are used to depict social realities. The artist meticulously renders each figure and ruin, reflecting the socio-economic impact of disaster. Note the detailed depiction of clothing. What does that say about consumption and class? Editor: It speaks to the disparities even within a community facing collective loss. Thank you, I hadn't considered the clothing as commentary. Curator: Consider also the labor involved in producing such a detailed print. It's a commodity, reflecting a certain social value placed on depicting and perhaps even consuming tragedy.