Geschiedenis van Ezelsvel / Histoire de Peau-d'ane 1833 - 1911

Curator: Here we have "Geschiedenis van Ezelsvel / Histoire de Peau-d'ane," dating from 1833-1911, attributed to Brepols & Dierckx zoon. It's a print showcasing a narrative sequence. Looking at the material production and context, what strikes you? Editor: It's intriguing! I'm used to seeing these fairy tales illustrated with lush paintings. Here, the comic strip format made via print, especially with that accessible, mass-produced feel, does something completely different. What's your take? Curator: Absolutely. The materiality speaks volumes. This isn't some rarefied oil painting for a wealthy patron; it's a print, likely intended for wider circulation, maybe even children. This suggests a different intention and a different kind of labor involved in its creation and consumption. We see a breakdown of the hierarchies between fine art and common media. Think about who made the plates, who printed them, who distributed them. What do you make of the image's reproduction, its means? Editor: I guess it removes the “aura” that Walter Benjamin talked about; makes the story much more about dissemination and cultural function than pure aesthetic contemplation? I’m suddenly interested in how it was printed – lithography perhaps? What inks were used, how fast could they produce these sheets? Curator: Precisely. Now, consider the social context. Fairy tales are often vehicles for conveying societal values, moral lessons. How does the chosen medium—a mass-produced print—affect how these values are communicated and received? Does making it a reproducible image change the meaning or its cultural capital? Editor: That's fascinating! The medium itself democratizes the story, but it could also cheapen it in the eyes of some, right? Thanks for the insight; thinking about the production process changes how I view the entire work! Curator: Agreed, considering its dissemination adds dimensions that contemplation alone cannot provide! I also learned a lot; examining it from multiple sides is crucial for comprehensive understanding!