Negen borstkurassen 1500 - 1568

Editor: This is "Negen borstkurassen," or "Nine Breastplates," created sometime between 1500 and 1568 by an anonymous artist. It looks like a print—maybe a woodcut or drawing—of nine different breastplates. I’m immediately struck by the detail in each one, the craftsmanship. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Focusing on the materiality, it's crucial to see this print as a means of dissemination. The use of woodcut allows for multiples, turning luxury armour into a commodity accessible, at least visually, to a broader public. How does this reproductive process shift your perception of armour, traditionally a symbol of individual power and status? Editor: That's a great point. I was so focused on the individual craftsmanship, I didn't think about the reproductive aspect. So, it’s about democratizing images of power? Curator: Precisely! Consider also the labor involved. The crafting of the armour itself, the artistry involved in translating it into a printable image, and finally, the labor of the printing process. This reveals layers of production. Are we admiring the armour, the skill of the artisan, or the system that made the images available? Editor: I see what you mean. It challenges that separation of high art and craft that you mentioned earlier. It’s forcing us to acknowledge the means of production. Does the material of the print – the paper, the ink – also play a part in understanding its message? Curator: Absolutely! Paper was itself a valuable commodity. Ink, derived from specific ingredients, tells a story of trade and technical skill. Each material choice reveals more about the society that produced this image. Editor: This makes me rethink what I initially saw. It’s not just about the armor; it’s about the systems in place at the time. Thanks for making that clear. Curator: And thanks to you too! I'll definitely consider materiality and means of production when approaching prints like this in the future.