Rechthoekige cartouche met twee putti als jagers 1551 - 1620

Editor: Here we have "Rechthoekige cartouche met twee putti als jagers," a print, probably an engraving, created sometime between 1551 and 1620 by an anonymous artist. The cherubic hunters definitely catch the eye, juxtaposed against what looks like a map fragment. What stands out to you? Curator: What immediately strikes me is how this piece blends high art and the traditionally separate domain of mapmaking. The cherubs, figures of allegory, are rendered through the very material process of engraving, which was also used to disseminate geographical information and, significantly, exert territorial claims. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't considered the connection between the artistic style and the map. How does focusing on the material production change our understanding of the work? Curator: Examining the printmaking process helps us deconstruct the seemingly natural division between art and craft. The labor-intensive method of engraving transforms a simple piece of paper into something that carried economic and political weight. How the map *looks* affects how easily the territory is conceptually "owned". These representations reinforce, quite materially, political authority. Note the "Lieux de France," "Lieux de Flandre," and "Lieux d'Allemagne" labels: What does this quantification mean for trade and war? Editor: So it’s not just a pretty picture; it is entangled with economics and political control through the *means* of its creation? Curator: Exactly. By examining the material production of the print, we see how the seemingly innocuous image actively participates in the social context. It's a challenge to consider consumption of artwork in 17th century that has resonances today! Editor: That definitely shifts my perspective! Looking at art from the vantage point of labor and materials opens up all sorts of new ways of thinking. Curator: Indeed! By thinking materially we understand the agency latent within these visual forms.