Let's hurry! Astronomy is useful! c. 18th century

Editor: This etching, "Let's hurry! Astronomy is useful!" by Jean Baptiste Michel Dupréel, depicts two figures in a wooded landscape. The inscription suggests some urgency. What strikes me is the relationship between the figures and the surrounding materiality of the landscape, how do you interpret that? Curator: Well, notice how the production of this etching involved a specific division of labor. The engraver and the author, each playing a crucial role in disseminating ideas. Consider the material itself; the paper, the ink, the printing press, all affordable and reproducible commodities that made knowledge accessible to a wider audience. Editor: So, you're saying the material conditions of its creation are key to understanding its meaning? Curator: Precisely! It’s about recognizing the relationship between intellectual pursuits like astronomy and the tangible realities of production and consumption in its time. Editor: I see how focusing on the physical production opens up a whole new perspective on this work. Curator: Exactly. By examining the material, we uncover the social and economic forces shaping art and knowledge.