Gezicht op de Chapelle de la Sorbonne 1808 - 1849

Editor: This is "Gezicht op de Chapelle de la Sorbonne," an etching by Jean Baptiste van Marcke, made sometime between 1808 and 1849. It's so precise, almost architectural in its detail. What stands out to you about the work? Curator: I'm struck by the process, the labor involved in creating such a detailed image through etching. Think about the physical act of incising lines into a metal plate, the repetitive actions, and the skills acquired. Does the print’s function speak to the labor of its creation, making it affordable and accessible, in contrast to a unique painting? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't considered the social aspect of printmaking. It allowed for wider distribution of images. Curator: Exactly. And look at the materials. We have paper, likely produced through its own complex system of labor and resources. Etching also reproduces, commenting on reproducibility within consumer culture. How do you see the architecture contributing to that cultural context? Editor: Well, the Chapelle de la Sorbonne represents institutions, academia, power. Curator: And the printmaking medium makes even that symbolic architecture, normally restricted to elite audiences, accessible. Consider what happens to an idea or symbol when it can be owned and reproduced and distributed at a far greater scale. Is there any loss of "aura," perhaps, but what is gained culturally and politically? Editor: I see your point. By reproducing this grand building, the print democratizes its image, challenging traditional hierarchies in art and society. Curator: Precisely. And the very act of creating this image highlights the labor involved in both artmaking and the dissemination of knowledge. Something to ponder... Editor: Definitely. Thanks, I learned a lot thinking about the context around this piece. Curator: Me too! Thanks for your perspective.