Print from Drawing Book c. 1610 - 1620

Editor: This is "Print from Drawing Book," an engraving by Luca Ciamberlano, dating from around 1610 to 1620. It's essentially a study of feet, depicted from multiple angles. I find the sheer focus on feet, which are often overlooked, quite intriguing. What do you see in this piece beyond a mere anatomical study? Curator: This print transcends the anatomical study, pointing to the historical and social roles feet play. Think about it: feet carry us, connect us to the earth. In early modern Europe, the way feet were shod, or unshod, spoke volumes about social status. Are these the feet of laborers, constantly exposed? Or are they the pampered feet of the elite? Editor: That's a really interesting perspective! I hadn’t considered the social implications. It makes me wonder, though, about the perspective of the artist in depicting multiple feet and not individuals. What does that imply, and what kind of commentary is it creating, if any? Curator: Precisely! Is Ciamberlano aiming to elevate a previously underrepresented class, immortalizing feet that had never before been deemed worthy of artistic attention? Alternatively, in its repetitive portrayal, does the image enforce the anonymity of individuals by generalizing feet into just another form? The print acts as both, immortalizing and dehumanizing by isolating a specific part of the body from its social identity. The piece really brings forward interesting intersectional narratives surrounding labor, identity, and representation. Editor: So it's about how art can simultaneously acknowledge and erase identities, which is a lot to unpack from just looking at some feet! I didn't think about it that way when I started. Curator: Exactly, and remember, the art object exists within a context, not within a vacuum. Always engage critically with that context. Editor: This has really changed my understanding of the print! I'll definitely look at art through this new lens moving forward. Thanks.